Category Manager – B2B Marketing Full Time

Kerry is the world’s leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers’ most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The position will focus on the ‘End Use Market – Food Group’ to develop, position and promote a market driven portfolio of all food technologies and solutions for Indian Subcontinent.

• The Category Manager – Food will need to work very closely with the Commercial Director, Business Development teams, the Creation and Application teams, as well as the key stakeholders and be the key marketing contact for Food group (subject matter expert & support).
• He/she will need to plan, lead and execute the marketing initiatives supporting Kerry’s food growth objectives and areas of focus.
• The incumbent will be dealing with the category products including pricing analysis, dealing different product portfolio, new product innovation and different segments/cohorts of customers.
• The role will also be responsible for Managing all External and Internal Communications and supporting the Marketing Director.

Key responsibilities

• Build an understanding of Kerry’s (EUM- Foods) portfolio, its strengths, and main differentiation points, identify weakness and gaps to fill, with the business development teams.
• Build an understanding of the market, its clients’ needs and insights, to support the development of a robust market driven portfolio based on the overall marketing strategy and area of focus.
• Build relevant tools for internal as well as external audiences, such as flavour toolboxes, flavour trends, positioning and benefit statements.
• Be a subject matter expert within depth understanding of the market trends, of our relevant technologies and their selling propositions, dynamics and players and support sales team.
• Develop strong working relationships with the Sales team (Key account Managers and distribution team) to ensure the overall technology push, messaging and key selling arguments are made relevant in a local context with local insights and inputs.
• Work closely with the APAC strategic marketing teams to keep abreast of the developments, best practice sharing and to ensure we position Kerry as the food ingredients and Nutrition Company
• Work with marketing communication team and consumer insight team to address needs for the Taste initiatives
• Manage the process to facilitate information/knowledge sharing and transfer
• Management of communication assets such as brand guidelines, digital content, trade materials, packaging and partnerships (conceptual events, co-promotional events and print)

Qualifications and skills

• Minimum bachelor’s degree or business-related field. Additional MBA.
• 6-8 years ’relevant experience in Marketing in the food flavor and ingredient industry or FMCG/Food industry with Category experience in B2B space.
• Strategic Subject matter expert with strong commercial and technical acumen
• Highly effective in bringing together market and industry intelligence from various sources to lead development of business strategies
• Possess excellent leadership and communication skills – credible at senior level and able to facilitate and collaborate across a diverse stakeholder base and locations
• Ability to anticipate internal and external customer insights to secure buy-in and execution of initiatives and strategies
• Design – Brand Identity and Standards thought leadership/guardianship
• Design – Produce concepts/templates/presentations Competencies Required
• Proactive and Innovation lead mindset
• Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, continuously evolving business environment and has creative and resourceful approach to problem solving
• Formulates concise initiatives from ideas to complete solutions
• Creates, executes and drives new initiatives, and formal plans
• Exhibits organizational inference and decision-making
• Self-Directed Maintains a “take charge” attitude, proactive, persistent, drive and focus on finding a way to accomplish objectives with a strong sense of accountability
• Flexible Adapt to multiple demands, aligning to priorities, ambiguity & change
• Deep understanding of categories with an ability to analyse data, trends, build concepts and present to internal and external customers
• Building Alignment
• Communication
• Social media savvy and engaged across different on-line platforms
• Passionate about the food and beverage industry