**Associate Manager, Category - Southern Africa** Marketing and Product Mgmt Johannesburg, ZA For over 75 years, BIC has been creating ingeniously simple and joyful products that are a part of every heart and home. As a member of our team, you'll be a part of reigniting a beloved brand as we continue to reimagine everyday essentials in new, sustainable and responsible ways. Our "roll up your sleeves and get the job done" approach to work creates an environment where self-starters, problem solvers and innovative thinkers thrive. BIC team members are empowered to take ownership of their careers and bring their unique perspectives to the table to make a meaningful impact on our mission. It's a colorful world - make your mark by joining the BIC team today. **JOB SUMMARY** **MAIN PURPOSE** + To analyze data (IRI | Cognos | Trade Intelligence) to drive insights to deliver the business and category growth objectives. + To define channel guidelines across Category Management levers with a focus on: - + Driving incremental sales and profit for BIC and Retail partners + Gain optimized distribution and visibility for BIC products in the retail environment. + Provide analytical inputs on category opportunities. + Drive alignment between the functions involved in Category Development (Marketing, Sales, RGM) and coordinate programs and actions needed to implement recommendations. + Lead identified category management projects. + Translate global Category Management strategies by Category into locally relevant strategies where applicable. + Ongoing relationship building and communication with the Marketing and Sales Teams, driving alignment on opportunities and building data credibility with the teams. **MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES / TASKS** + Strategically focused, decision-making support function to the Sales and Marketing Departments to maximize customer focused opportunities. + Monitor and track internal and external performance of demand creation initiatives. + Identify key performance gaps and opportunities for demand creation initiatives across the categories. + Maintain, operate, and actively assess IRI, QlikView Insights, Trade Intelligence, Shoprite Webbie, GS1 and for detailed reporting to the business. + Monthly reporting on performance of categories to the BIC business, locally and internationally. + Producing detailed Retail Reviews which encompasses category strategies. + Tracking performance, new product innovations, pricing and distribution of competitors and their products. + Working with GS1 to generate barcodes for new products and to load new products onto GS1 (data net). + Listings of all new products for Major Retailers such as Game, Shoprite, SPAR, PnP, Makro, Dis-Chem, Clicks, Boxer, etc. + Strike Rate reports (listing shortfalls by channel and store, OOS reporting) + Ensure that the planograms are built on accepted industry guidelines. + Assist Sales where necessary, to improve the merchandising standards within various channels according to company guidelines. + Attend meetings with Key Account Managers to assist with delivering the Category plans. + Competitor analysis and understanding. **Key performance Indicators/ Key Figures** + Meeting of deadlines for all reporting. + Results of key marketing initiatives and promotional activities to be updated and communicated monthly assisting in the achievement of the sales budget. + Interaction and collaboration with key stakeholder in Sales and Marketing to develop and enhance strategies to deliver the operating plan. + Distribution gains and improvement of each POP. + Analysis of key price points by category ensuring that the pricing strategies are delivering (price volume interaction) propose course corrective action when necessary. + Build and develop sustainable collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external data service providers. **Qualifications and technical skills** + 4 YEARS Category Management Experience in FMCG + Strong computer literacy in IRI Software, QlikView Insights Software, MS Office, MS Windows, and PowerPoint + High Numeracy skills – detail analytical ability. + A proven record in excellent internal and external customer liaison skills and outstanding supplier relations & service excellence experience. **Knowledge, Skills, Competencies** **R= Required D= Desired** **Simple Criteria** + R – Maintain, operate & actively assess IRI, QlikView Insights, Trade Intelligence, GS1 and the Shoprite Webbie for detailed reporting to the business + R – Advanced Excel Skills + R – Relationship Builder + D- Passion for people and management **Complex Criteria** + R – Be able to influence and persuade others to take a specific course of action + R – Energy and passion for achievement of own commitments and delivering company objectives + R – Building strong relationships with key customers and internal customers within the organization + R – Respect others and mange diversity regarding diverse cultures, management styles + R – Consistently manage projects and meet deadlines as per expectation, be well organized + R - Think creatively to deliver practical solutions to problems + R – Good communication skills + R – Understanding of the decision-making process + R – EQ influencing skills + R – Ability to Multi-tasking, detail driven and focused + R – Deadline driven + R – Drive for Results + R – Action Orientated + R – Must be able to work under pressure + R – Must be numerically strong **ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** + 3-year Marketing degree with statistics as a major. + Traveling – essential + Current exposure and working on and with IRI data will be advantageous BIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly commit to hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences to help us build better products, make better decisions, and better serve our customers. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status, or similar characteristics. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. BIC is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any team member at BIC via email, or directly to a BIC team member in any form without a valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of BIC, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by BIC as a result of the referral or through other means.