come + join us!

Purpose of role:

• To be lead Category manager for UK Grocery Accounts
• Deliver insight from all available retailer data sources that drives tangible business results
• Contribute to creation of a ‘Category-First’ mentality at Ella’s Kitchen
• Equip and encourage the business to make category

Role activities / responsibilities:

• Category Leadership with Top 4 Grocers (50%)

(Accounts to be confirmed during interview)

1. a. Build category relationships with the internal and external customer teams so that you understand the needs, motivations, and aspirations of both businesses, producing win:win category recommendations…
2. b. …Use all available data sources to do so:
   1. i. Be the expert when it comes to IRI data, understand their performance, and identify their (and our) category opportunities for growth
   2. ii. Overlay Kantar consumer metrics to hone analysis and recommendations
3. c. Be a key part of range planning processes
4. d. Utilise Space Planning to:
   1. i. measure space to sales
   2. ii. highlight opportunities
   3. iii. bring range recommendations to life

• Other retailers (30%)

(Accounts to be confirmed during interview)

1. a. Build relationships with other grocery retailer teams (internally and externally) so that you understand the needs, motivations, and aspirations of both businesses, producing win:win category recommendations…
2. b. …Use all available data sources to do so:
   1. i. Be the expert when it comes to IRI data, understand their performance, and identify their (and our) category opportunities for growth
   2. ii. Overlay Kantar consumer metrics to hone analysis and recommendations
3. c. Be a key part of the range planning process in these accounts.

• 3) Internal Focus (20%):
  1. a. Help curate, develop and deploy our Ella’s Kitchen Category Vision internally, leading the entire organisation towards a ‘Category-First’ mentality.
  2. b. Equip our commercial teams so that they can mine their own ad-hoc data, and help them to think wider than Ella’s when measuring success (our ‘tail’ vs the Category ‘tail’)
  3. c. Champion how Mums and Dads behave when shopping in all internal discussions (e.g. NPD Funnel and the development of sell-in 1-pagers & decks), which will include leading category inductions.
  4. d. Ensure that our (Friends) qualitative insight is developed beyond brand and thus, along with continuous quantitative data sources (IRI / Kantar / Dunnhumby), equips us with best in class sales stories for NPD and range architecture
  5. e. Provide ad hoc support on ROS, Distribution and Category inputs for NPD projects.

You will need:

• To embrace, embody and exude all that is special and unique about Ella’s Kitchen

• Excellent commercial skills

• An understanding of Category Fundamentals vs Management vs Leadership

• Proactive ‘do-er’, keen to be involved in the success of the team

• Ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial, fast paced environment

• Relationship building skills – getting the best out of others to achieve the plan

• The ability to influence others through your flexible style

• Great communication skills

• A results focussed mindset with the ability to “never never give up” and find solutions to challenges

• Experience of online retailing

• Passionate about systems with the ability to utilise technology for continuous improvement

• Passion for the brand and what Ella’s stands for – improving children’s lives through healthy relationships with food.

Experience of the following would be advantageous:

• Nielsen Answers
• IRI Plussuite
• i2C
• Dunnhumby
• Kantar
• Space Planning
• Retailer relationships, ideally with top four supermarkets

And What You’ll Get In Return:

• Bucket loads of training and development, supporting your career pathway
• Competitive salary
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• A Box of Treats, including private medical, dental, pension, life assurance, 25 days holiday and the ability to buy more, high street discounts, amazing wellbeing events, Give It A Go days… to name but a few!
• A really awesome place to come to work … our beautiful Barns in the Oxfordshire countryside, but the flexibility to achieve a good work/life blend