Category Strategy & Process Excellence Lead

About the role

The Category Strategy & Process Excellence Lead is an execution-driven commercial role within the Central Europe MS&D department. The role localizes regional category strategies, facilitates the yearly processes for their deployment and coordinates strategy across key channels and account communities.

Key responsibilities

• Act as the main operational link between the Central Europe cluster and regional category strategy teams, integrating local market insights and shopper trends into regional planning.
• Drive the end-to-end localization of regional and global category visions to fit the retail structures and consumer behaviour across Central Europe.
• Author and customize category stories and shelf guidelines for key retail partners so sales teams can secure range and shelf space.
• Own the localization of the regional strategy framework and run workshops and capability sessions with country markets to embed the process locally.
• Monitor process timelines and deliverables and support country commercial teams in keeping the regional framework well executed.
• Facilitate the cross-market customer Category Community, share best practice, optimize ranges and plan jointly with account teams.
• Navigate category processes and strategic customer discussions for priority accounts, keeping brand positioning unified and coordinating activation calendars.
• Coordinate with the regional team on portfolio catalogue listings to ensure cluster-wide alignment.

Required profile

• University degree or equivalent higher education.
• Fluent English, written and spoken.
• At least 5 years of experience, ideally in Category Management, Sales, Analytics or Brand Management.
• Practical sales experience (e.g. Key Account Manager) or close cooperation with retail customers.
• Ability to turn customer insights into clear stories that drive action.

Required skills

• Strong experience with sell-out data tools such as Nielsen.

What we offer

• Work with diverse colleagues guided by the Five Principles.
• A purpose-driven company with learning and development support from day one, including access to Mars University.
• An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including a company bonus.