Category Manager - Dairy

The Category Manager – Dairy is responsible for the overall commercial performance, strategy, and profitability of the Dairy category. This role owns the category P&L and is accountable for driving sales growth, margin optimization, supplier negotiations, and operational excellence.
The ideal candidate must have strong commercial acumen, experience in contract negotiations, supplier management, and the ability to control and manage category P&L performance.

Category Strategy & P&L Ownership

• Develop and execute category strategy aligned with company objectives.
• Own and manage the Dairy category P&L (sales, margin, rebates, shrinkage, overhead impact).
• Deliver sales growth and gross margin targets.
• Manage pricing strategy and ensure competitiveness in the market.

Commercial & Negotiations

• Lead supplier negotiations, including, commercial terms, trade agreements, rebates and promotional funding and payment terms.
• Establish long-term supplier partnerships.
• Manage contracts and ensure compliance with agreed terms.
• Conduct regular performance reviews with suppliers.

Assortment & Range Management

• Optimize SKU assortment based on sales performance and customer demand.
• Identify new product opportunities and market trends.
• Plan category layout and merchandising in coordination with operations.

Promotions & Trade Planning

• Plan and execute promotional calendars.
• Negotiate promotional support and marketing contributions from suppliers.
• Evaluate ROI of promotional activities.

Operational & Supply Coordination

• Collaborate with supply chain to ensure product availability and minimize stock-outs.
• Manage shelf-life risks and reduce wastage.
• Monitor inventory turnover and working capital impact.

Market & Competitive Analysis

• Monitor market trends, pricing benchmarks, and competitor activities.
• Identify growth opportunities in private label and branded segments.

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from a reputable university (MBA preferred).

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in category management, retail, FMCG, or fresh food industry.
• Proven track record of managing P&L and delivering category growth.
• Experience in supplier negotiations and strategic sourcing.

Strategic & Commercial Skills:

• Strong strategic thinking and category planning capabilities.
• Excellent commercial acumen with deep understanding of margins, pricing strategies, promotions, and profitability.
• Ability to develop and execute long-term category growth strategies.
• Strong forecasting and inventory optimization skills.
• Market trend analysis and competitive benchmarking expertise.

Leadership & People Skills:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong stakeholder management abilities.
• Brilliant people management skills with experience leading cross-functional teams.
• Negotiation and influencing skills at senior levels.

Core Competencies:

• Strong analytical and decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Results-driven with strong ownership mindset.
• Strong vendor relationship management skills.
• Ability to translate data into actionable business insights.

Behavioral Attributes:

• Strategic, commercially driven, and customer-focused.
• High resilience and adaptability.
• Strong leadership presence and executive maturity.

foodpanda is part of the Delivery Hero Group, the world’s pioneering local delivery platform, our mission is to deliver an amazing experience—fast, easy, and to your door. We operate in over 70+ countries worldwide. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2017 and is part of the MDAX stock market index.

• We are fast, like mind boggling fast! So if you’re someone who loves ever changing goals and loves optimization, you’re the right fit for us!
• We love people who can develop things from scratch, own them and then work on improving them
• We love what we do, and we don’t rest until we’ve achieved our targets. So if you’re also someone who is driven until the dream is achieved, come join us!