Category, Shopper & Commercial Insights Manager

Job Purpose

The Category Shopper & Commercial Insights Manager will lead category shopper and commercial insights across Africa & Middle East markets to accelerate profitable portfolio growth across channels. The role translates market consumer shopper and customer data into clear commercial strategies and actionable recommendations.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Define Business Questions & Insight Agenda (Own)

• Own AME insight agenda aligned to commercial priorities (growth premiumization channel strategy).
• Frame business problems into clear analytical briefs (what to analyze why it matters what decision is required).
• Prioritize requests and align cross-functional stakeholders e.g. Sales Marketing Finance Markets.

2. Category Shopper & Channel Strategy (Own)

• Build category growth narratives (Whisky Gin Vodka Cognac Champagne RTD) by channel.
• Define shopper frameworks (missions occasions price ladders trade-up triggers).
• Recommend assortment shelf activation and channel strategies by market/customer.

3. Insight Generation & Recommendations (Own)

• Convert analytical outputs into insights implications actions.
• Produce clear decision-ready recommendations (price/pack focus distribution activation).
• Validate insights with markets; ensure relevance to local realities.

4. Stakeholder Influence & Customer Engagement (Lead)

• Lead category reviews and JBP inputs with key customers.
• Present insights to Commercial LT Marketing LT and market leaders.
• Drive adoption of recommendations across AME.

5. Insights Adoption & Impact Tracking (Own)

• Ensure insights are embedded into:
  • Commercial plans
  • Brand strategies
  • Customer negotiations
• Track decision adoption and commercial outcomes and refine approach.

6. Define Data Product Requirements (Own not build)

• Define requirements for:
  • Category dashboards
  • Distribution / ROS tracking
  • Portfolio performance views
• Set standards for single source of truth metrics.

7. Ways of Working (Own)

• Establish weekly/monthly/quarterly insight rhythms (deep dives performance reviews).
• Govern brief analysis insight decision workflow.

8. Success Metrics (Outcome-Based)

• % of insights adopted by markets/customers
• Category & portfolio growth impact (value mix ROS distribution quality)
• Customer influence (range wins shelf gains activation changes)
• Speed & clarity of decision-making

Key Competencies

Knowledge Skills and Attributes

• Strong category management and shopper insights expertise within FMCG / Spirits / Beverage environments.
• Deep understanding of On-Trade and Off-Trade dynamics including channel strategy customer behaviour and route-to-market models.
• Proven ability to translate data into clear actionable commercial insights and strategic recommendations.
• Strong commercial acumen including understanding of pricing portfolio mix premiumisation and distribution levers.
• Excellent storytelling and executive communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and customers.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional collaboration across Commercial Marketing Finance and Data teams.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to operate across multiple markets with varying data maturity levels.
• Experience leading category reviews JBP inputs and strategic insight presentations.
• Ability to connect shopper behaviour market trends and commercial outcomes into a cohesive narrative.
• High level of curiosity strategic thinking and problem-solving capability.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelors degree in Commerce Marketing Economics Business Management or related field.
• 7 years experience in Category Management Commercial Insights Trade Marketing or Shopper Insights within FMCG or beverage industries.
• Proven experience working with market data sources (e.g. Circana DataOrbis NielsenIQ retail scan data customer data).
• Experience working across multi-market or regional environments (preferably Africa / emerging markets).
• Demonstrated experience influencing commercial strategy customer decisions and category growth initiatives.
• Experience working in cross-functional environments with exposure to Sales Marketing and Finance.
• Exposure to data visualisation tools (e.g. Power BI QlikView) is advantageous but not required for technical ownership.

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