Category Development Manager
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Sep 30, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 29, 2026. Essity scores B on the Alion truth index.
Are you passionate about turning shopper and market insights into strategies that drive growth? We’re looking for a Category Development Manager to join our Consumer Goods team in Newmarket, Auckland. This is an opportunity to use your commercial thinking, data expertise and storytelling skills to influence category strategy, strengthen customer partnerships and help shape better outcomes for our customers and consumers.
About the Role
As our Category Development Manager, you’ll play an important role in delivering best-in-class category outcomes and profitable growth. You’ll transform consumer, shopper and market insights into clear category strategies and compelling recommendations that support our customer business plans.
Working collaboratively across Sales, Marketing, Commercial Finance and Demand Planning, you’ll help bring category strategies to life. You’ll also build strong relationships with customers, becoming a trusted voice on category priorities and opportunities.
What You Will Do
In this role, you will:
- Lead range review preparation, bringing together data, insights and strategic storytelling to create compelling customer presentations
- Develop ranging, pricing and shelf layout recommendations in partnership with Sales and Marketing
- Turn shopper, consumer and market data into clear, actionable insights and growth opportunities
- Develop category strategies across short, medium and longer-term planning horizons
- Take a leading role in category reviews, including managing timelines, inputs and development of recommendations
- Build relationships with customers, providing a strong category perspective
- Use multiple data and research sources to identify trends, solve business challenges and support decision-making
- Monitor and report on business performance, helping teams identify opportunities and actions where needed
- Collaborate across the business and contribute your expertise to key strategic projects.
Who You Are
You’re commercially curious and enjoy getting beneath the data to understand what really drives shopper behaviour and category performance. Just as importantly, you know how to turn complex information into clear and engaging insights that brings others with you.
You’ll bring:
- 5+ years’ FMCG experience across Category, Sales and/or Marketing
- Confidence preparing and delivering range review presentations to key customers
- Strong experience working with scan, shopper and category data, including platforms such as dunnhumby or Quantium
- An understanding of research and the ability to translate findings into practical, actionable plans
- Strong Excel and PowerPoint capability
- Excellent presentation, communication and collaboration skills
- The ability to work effectively across functions and build strong internal and external relationships
- Resilience, adaptability and a collaborative approach to your work
- Experience with space management principles or software would be advantageous.
What We Can Offer You
Our purpose, Breaking Barriers to Well-Being, provides meaning to everything we do. Join us to improve well-being for people and drive positive change for society and the environment.
At Essity, you'll feel valued, empowered to grow, and challenged to achieve business results in a collaborative and open atmosphere.
- A competitive salary package, because we want you to be rewarded for what you do best
- Fully funded Wellbeing One Southern Cross medical insurance, with free annual health checks and doctor's appointments
- Free income protection, permanent disability, and life insurance
- Free Annual Flu Vaccinations, Annual Wellness day and free onsite parking
Ready for your next move? Apply now! Early applications encouraged.
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