Trade Category Lead

WHATYOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

Key Responsibilities

1. Category Strategy & Planning

• Develop annual and quarterly category plans aligned with companyobjectivesand trade channel priorities.

• Conduct market analysis to assess trends, competitor activities, consumerbehavior, and channel dynamics.

• Identifycategory growth opportunities across GT, wholesalers, and distributors.

• Define channel-specific assortment, pricing, and promotion strategies.

• Lead the monthly trade briefs and compliance with distributors.

2. Commercial Execution

• Lead the execution of category initiatives across channels tooptimizeshelf presence and product availability.

• Develop planograms, visibility guidelines, and merchandising standards.

• Collaborate with Sales teams to deploy category strategies at the customer and store level.

3. Trade Promotions & Budget Management

• Design customer/channel trade calendars that support category goals.

• Optimizetrade spend effectiveness throughTOanalysis and promotion performance reviews.

• Track and control category budgets to ensure efficient and effective investments.

4. Data Analytics & Insights

• Analysesales performance, market share, distribution, pricing, and promotional results.

• Utilize data from Nielsen, Kantar, distributor systems, and internal dashboards.

• Translate insights into actionable recommendations for the business.

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing on brand initiatives, innovations, and demand planning.

• Partner with Supply Chain on forecasting, stock allocation, and lifecycle management.

• Work closely with distributors on in month stock replenishment and correct pricing.

• Support Sales teams with category stories, customer presentations, and strategic selling materials.

• Act as the primary category expert in customer meetings for Joint Business Plans (JBPs).

• Deliver insight-led category growth proposals tailored to customer needs.

• Build strong relationships with key trade partners.

Skills

• ​​4–7 years of experience in Trade Marketing, Category Management, Sales, or Brand Management.

• ​Strong analytical skills withproficiencyin data tools (Excel, Power BI, Nielsen, etc.).

• ​Solid understanding of FMCG/consumer goods industry and retail landscape.

• ​Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

• ​Ability to manage multiple priorities and work cross-functionally.

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Leadership

• You are energized by delivering fantastic results.You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.

• As anindividualyou are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and deliveringhigh standardsof work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE:Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions.

• PERSONAL MASTERY:Setshigh standardsfor themselves.Actively builds own wellbeing and resilience.

• CONSUMER LOVE: Whatever their role, always looks for better ways to serve consumers.Investstime inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.

• PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.

• AGILITY: Explores the world around them, continually learning and developing their skills.

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicantsfrom allwalks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.