AddressWelcome to Hovis. We are the proud guardians of over 130 years of baking experience that make up our iconic and much-loved brand. We produce bread and bakery products created with Hovis goodness at the heart of each. We deliver around 1.3million loaves, every day of the week throughout the UK and Ireland, where we also make Mothers Pride and Ormo products.
We are 2,800 people working within 8 bakeries, 1 flour mill, and 2 regional distribution centres across the UK. Our success is a result of the hard work of our people; they are experts in their field whether it’s baking, manufacturing, logistics, engineering, or the many departments within the central functions team based in our head office in High Wycombe. We are a values-led business and expect our colleagues to live, breathe, and embed Quality, Accountability, and Trust into their ways of working.
We’re searching for a proactive and committed Category Manager ready to play a key role in the next chapter of our journey. Please see below for more detail.
Role Purpose:
- To build strong, insight driven, category relationships with both internal & external customers. Enabling the execution of the Hovis Category Strategy and optimising the distribution & rate of sale of Hovis products.
Key Accountabilities:
Strategy & Planning
- Embrace the Hovis Category Strategy and work with the Head of Category & Insight to embed with core customers.
- Take a proactive approach with category planning and ensure plans are appropriately aligned with the Hovis commercial strategy.
Category Development
- Lead the range review process with core grocery customers, taking a category thought leadership approach.
- Develop category plans to optimise Hovis distribution and rate of sale.
- Provide actionable recommendations based on category insight and implement retailer specific category plans and key projects.
Category Benchmarking
- Lead the development of internal reporting tools to quickly identify category wide issues & opportunities and communicate them to relevant stakeholders within the business.
- Track Hovis performance against KPIs and action detailed course correction measures
Coaching & Development
- Support the Hovis commercial business apprentices and coach them in Category Management fundamentals.
- Help to support a strong ethos of teamwork within the Category & Insight function.
Ad Hoc Projects
- Lead retailer or internal projects as required. For example, ‘minimising out of stocks’ or ‘maximising NPD launches’.
- Proactively monitor the market and seek out commercial opportunities for the Hovis brand.
Essential role related knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience at selection:
- Educated to degree level (or equivalent) with Category Management experience in a Blue Chip FMCG environment
- In depth understanding of Shopper Insight, Category Management, Trade Marketing and Strategic Planning
- A proven track record of building successful working relationships with FMCG retailers and delivering measurable changes in brand performance
- Expert user of Nielsen/IRI EPOS & panel data, experience in using Dunnhumby data strongly preferred
- Proven track record of working effectively as part of a team
- Able to coach individuals in the fundamentals of Category Management
Why work for us and our benefits:
At Hovis, we understand the importance of looking after our colleagues, so we provide a variety of benefits in addition to their salaries. The benefits we provide at Hovis are as varied as the people who receive them but they are offered with the intention of creating value to them personally over and above their salaries
There is a range of colleague benefits available, which individuals can select based on their needs.
Our benefits scheme is called Hovis Choice, which offers a variety of savings and cashback offers on day to day living and much more including eyecare vouchers, and a healthcare scheme to suit everyone. It also includes our Cycle to Work scheme where you can obtain a brand new bike at a significant saving
We offer competitive annual leave entitlement and flexibility where possible in order to create a healthy work-life balance
We celebrate loyalty with our generous long service and colleague recognition schemes
We offer three levels of pensions
Hovis values diversity and is committed to promoting equal opportunities in the workplace. Every job applicant, employee or worker will be treated fairly and equally with dignity and respect regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, social class, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, union membership, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.
