Category Development Executive

About us

At Accolade Wines, our purpose is to enrich everyday moments through our amazing wine brands. It goes without saying that everything we do as an organisation and as individuals is in service of fulfilling this purpose.

As one of the worlds leading wine companies, our award-winning portfolio includes loved brands such as Hardys, Jam Shed, Mud House, Echo Falls, Wise Wolf, Barossa Ink, Cupiolo, Kumala, Dynamite Factory, Lambrini, Petaluma and many more.

The driving force behind our business is our people, their expertise, their passion and their professionalism. With over 1,400 dedicated employees in the UK, Australia, Europe, Asia, South Africa, New Zealand and North and South America, it is our teamwork that sets us apart.

About the role

From grape to glass, from insight to action, we put the consumer and shopper at the heart of everything we do. We drive long-term thinking to create a sustainable future for the wine category and our business.

Reporting to the Senior Category Manager, you will be an integral part of a close-knit Category Team and be close alongside the Consumer Insights Team. Professional development is very important in our talent academy. Here you will build your skills and experience in a culture of personal and professional growth.

You will be responsible for building category growth in partnership with your own focus customers (retailers), building on our already strong category leadership position. In addition, you will equip and influence your Sales and Trade & Brand Marketing colleagues with category led analysis, recommendations and planning.

You will be in a culture where category management is objective and independent. You will have best in class category resources at your disposal. And you will be supported by a high calibre team, who you in turn will help mutually grow.

Key responsibilities include:

• Being the go-to category expert about the convenience channel and its specific retailers (i.e. customers) - Symbols, Wholesale, Independents.
• Owning all external category relationships with our convenience customers. For them, you will convert data into insights. Make compelling category stories
• Tracking, reviewing reports and explaining the performance of the category and of Accolade in convenience. Developing and maintaining these reports for customers and the sales teams.
• Identifying sales opportunities and risks for Accolade in the convenience channel.
• Bringing the independent and objective voice of category to influence commercial sales teams.
• Supporting the Senior Category Manager in meeting the needs of a wider set of internal and external customers. You and the Senior Manager will be a close team.
• Mastering a wide set of tools in market data analysis and shopper insight. Nielsen (EPoS and Panel), IGD, Consumer Segmentation.
• Bring independent and objective, as a principle, in all you do. You dont report into Marketing or into Sales. Your voice is unique.
• Supporting the creation of Accolades category vision and growth drivers. Sharing it with your Convenience customers.
• Contributing to annual brand planning with the voice of the category.
• Working with the Brand, Insight and Sales teams to convert insight into compelling category-led selling stories for New Products we are launching.
• Contributing to one offs such as our annual Christmas Review or the show piece annual brand launch at House of Accolade.

What you'll bring:

• Degree level
• 1-2 years experience in an FMCG environment, either
• (A) Shopper Insight, Consumer Insight or Market Data agency.
• Or, (B) in a role that was either in or came into contact with a category management team i.e. sales, trade marketing or brand marketing.

Preferred Experience:

• Use of Nielsen or Circana (was IRI) data, and / or Kantar data systems.
• Also relevant, is loyalty card based software e.g. Dunn Humby, SIP/Nectar, Quantium, Hive.

Behaviours

• Professional Development - in conjunction with your manager, you will build and your follow your own bespoke Professional Development Plan (PDP).
• Continuous Learning - using your PDP, regular 1:1s with your manager, quarterly goals, and Accolade training resources, you will be in a cycle of act-reflect-change so that you are continuously growing.
• Psychological Safety -the category team has a culture for Growth Mindset and Beginners Mind. Whatever your experience and job, we share and receive all ideas and perspectives openly.
• Celebration and Recognition -we have an everyday rewards scheme. Nominate your colleagues and be nominated yourself.

Skills

• IT Skills - Competent in Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint.
• Data management -Able to take large datasets, usually market data, process and analyse them to find answers to questions and briefs
• Communication & Influencing - With support from your manager, be able to present and persuade in both written and verbal forms to internal and external stakeholders.
• Time Management -With support and direction, you structure your own available time. Be comfortable with more than one project on the to do list, be able to set realistic deadlines. Always deliver what you commit. Consistently question the value of all work tasks and removes non-value-added activity.
• Resilience - able to adapt flexibly and proactively in a fast-paced environment.
• Team working - work as part of a team to achieve shared team and company goals.

What you can expect:

Accolade Wines will provide the ideal climate and a hand-picked rewards package for you to make a difference in our successful and growing business.

You will also have access to:

• Wine allowance and access to unique wine specials
• Flexible working (Up to 2-3 days working from home)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Start your weekend early with our Fast Friday finishes!
• Loyalty Leave
• Accolade Wines Anniversary day off
• Go Beyond Day - making a different in your local community
• Access to an extensive online learning library
• Employee Assistance Program
• Various exclusive employee discounts

Please note you will be required to travel within the UK, Ireland and other key markets within Europe, including overnight stays from time to time.

Sound like your kind of drop? Apply now.

At Accolade Wines we are dedicated to building a diverse, dynamic and inclusive culture.

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