Customer Category Specialist

Lindt & Sprüngli Portrait

At Lindt Iberia, we are looking for a Customer Category Specialist.

This role acts as a strategic consultant to our Key Account Managers and retail partners, using data to optimize the "4Ps" (Product, Placement, Price, Promotion) and ensuring Lindt’s premium portfolio meets the specific needs of each customer’s shopper profile.

As a part of your main accountabilities will be:

• Integrated Insights: Merge market-level data (NielsenIQ/Circana/Kantar) with retailer-specific data (Datahsaring/Loyalty cards, Retailer portals) to identify unique growth levers for each account.

• Tailored Customer Strategic Plans: Develop and implement category growth plans for key retailers based on their specific shopper, loyalty data, and mission-based behaviors.

• Joint Business Planning (JBP) Support: Provide the analytical pillar for JBP meetings, delivering insights that position Lindt as the "Category Captain" or preferred strategic partner.

• Category Management Leadership at Shelf: Lead and execute end-to-end Category Management projects directly at the shelf. This includes designing and defending data-driven planograms that optimize the shopper navigation, improve brand visibility, and ensure Lindt’s premium positioning.

• Strategic Distribution Growth: Proactively identify distribution gaps at a granular level (by SKU, by cluster, or by retailer). Responsible for building the business case and "fighting" for new listing opportunities, ensuring Lindt’s innovations and core range have the right presence to capture maximum volume and market share.

• Shopper Path-to-Purchase: Analyze the shopper journey within specific retail environments to optimize touchpoints, from digital catalogs to secondary placements in-store.

• Promotional Effectiveness: Execute deep-dive evaluations of customer-specific promotions to identify high-performing mechanics and optimize future trade spend.

• Competitor Benchmarking: Monitor competitor execution and performance at a customer level, identifying defensive or offensive tactical opportunities.

Requirements

Experience:

• 3 years of experience in Category Management or Shopper Insights within the CPG industry.
• Experience working directly with (or for) major retailers, understanding their internal KPIs and data platforms.
• Track record of successfully influencing retail buyers through data-backed category stories.

Tools

• Advanced Retailer Data: Proficiency in retailer-specific portals (e.g., LCRM, Retail Link, Symphony) and syndicated data (NielsenIQ/Circana).
• Technical Stack: Expert Excel and PowerPoint skills are mandatory; experience with Power BI is highly valued.
• Space Management: Professional use of planogramming software.