Category Development Manager

BGC, Taguig | On-site | Mon–Friday

Role Overview

The Category Development Manager is responsible for driving category growth through strategic planning, performance analysis, innovation management, and cross-functional collaboration. The role leads category direction, oversees commercial initiatives, manages category profitability, and ensures successful execution of New Product Launches (NPLs) aligned with overall business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Business Management

• Develop and lead the strategic direction of the assigned category
• Lead Annual Business Planning (ABP) and Long-Range Planning (LRP) initiatives
• Conduct regular category reviews to assess business performance, market trends, and competitive dynamics
• Identify growth opportunities and diagnose category performance gaps
• Prioritize key commercial levers and initiatives to achieve category targets
• Manage category P&L to deliver financial and growth objectives
• Partner closely with Revenue Growth Management (RGM) teams on pricing and pack architecture strategies
• Track New Product Launch (NPL) performance and evaluate impact on category health
• Build business cases for innovation projects and exploratory initiatives
• Champion breakthrough ideas and growth-focused initiatives

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Governance

• Represent category strategies and priorities in leadership discussions and planning forums
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and Operations teams to ensure alignment
• Facilitate regular category touchpoints and governance routines across support functions
• Influence senior leadership teams to secure support for category initiatives and investments
• Align local category priorities with regional or organizational strategies
• Ensure timely execution and monitoring of category plans and initiatives

New Product Launch (NPL) Management

• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of New Product Launches
• Develop launch volume projections and endorsement plans
• Coordinate with stakeholders on key visuals (KV), artwork briefs, and packaging requirements
• Manage POSM development, approvals, and launch readiness activities
• Create sell-in decks, product stories, and sales toolkits for commercial teams
• Develop sampling, employee engagement, and activation strategies
• Ensure launch supportability including production timelines, raw materials, packaging materials, and deployment planning
• Coordinate system readiness and stakeholder alignment for successful launch execution
• Partner with channel teams to ensure aligned below-the-line (BTL) support for launches

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business Management, Economics, or related field
• At least 5–8 years of experience in Category Management, Brand Management, Trade Marketing, or Commercial Strategy
• Strong background in category planning, innovation management, and product launches
• Experience managing category P&L and commercial performance
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Proficient in data analysis, business planning, and cross-functional project management