Category Manager

Job description / Role

Oil & Gas

About the company

We also run non-fuel services at our service stations.

About the job

Own and deliver the P&L for assigned categories in the C-Store and grow the category revenue and sales through various means and new initiatives including promotion, introduction of new products, etc. Also responsible for identification, negotiation, and closure with all category partners and suppliers.

Job accountabilities

• Lead and forecast the revenue planning with a monthly, quarterly view for the assigned categories including finalizing and driving commercial fundamentals for your category e.g. hierarchy, range, types of products, etc.
• Define clear metrics for the category/sub-category success and build sustainable programs to structurally drive the same across the organization.
• Cooperate with the department manager in development of business case for introduction of new products and services, this includes surveying market and customer's taste and requirements, expected sales, target group, sourcing channels, GM, ROI, margin, etc.

• Analyse industry trends and evolving technology to proactively identify supply base opportunities to reduce cost, minimize risk, protect continuity of supply, and exploit industry developments that benefit ADNOC Distribution.
• Collect information and analyse for sourcing reliable suppliers, negotiate for the lower cost for ADNOC Distribution, collate product details from potential suppliers (e.g. description, pack size, barcode, cost prices, recommended retail selling prices, etc.) and calculate to fix most profitable retail selling price, whilst generating the highest gross margin from the product sale.
• Evaluate capabilities and resources of new suppliers, collect relevant information e.g. trade license, agency letters, etc.
• Monitor supplier performance based on meeting their obligations and product availability; discuss to improve and maximise the service level from suppliers. Maintain relations and renegotiate regularly to better terms and reach the lowest possible cost price for products.

• Understand the selection requirement, price expectation, and create the relevant portfolio of products in the category.
• Execute revenue growth management plans and continuously monitor promotions and pricing.
• Review on a monthly basis the sales and profitability of each category and item, classify as good or poor sales and decide on the required change in category items, quality, price, source, or number of SKUs which can be displayed within the space allocated to the category.
• Work with the planogram manager to ensure that category products are displayed in the right areas in the C-Stores.

• Develop promotion plans and campaigns for increasing the overall sales and revenue for the assigned category including calculating the financial cost, expected increase in sales, benefits like reduction in unsold inventory or slow-moving inventory, purchasing and negotiation with supplier, and manage the rollout of the promotional campaign in coordination with other teams at C-Stores.
• Produce the annual calendar for promotion campaigns in line with overall direction and departmental guidelines and share it with higher management for approval.

• Manage inventory availability and inventory health including improvement in stock, inventory planning, vendor operational improvement (efficiency, fill rates, lead time), forecasting, and shrink reduction.

• Develop data-backed understanding of customer buying behaviour (across channels) - adoption, repeats, category adjacencies and other relevant buying behaviours.
• Manage the collection and analysis of consumer, market, and competitor insights for the category, share findings, and adapt strategy as necessary.
• Make recommendations to senior management on the category based on expertise of the consumer, market, and competitors.
• Ensure input metrics for the category such as maintaining in stock, reducing out of stock, driving higher fill rates with the brands across all C-Stores.
• Cooperate and conduct market research to benchmark C-Store customer offer against other similar retail outlets and review as necessary to improve competitiveness and attract more customers.

• Partner with internal teams to develop tools, automation, and process improvements that affect purchasing and vendor management workflows.
• Ongoing vendor management - ensuring retention, issue resolution, escalation where necessary.

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, sales, business administration or any other relevant discipline.
• 8 years of relevant experience in marketing and sales, including at least 4 years in the retail industry.
• Experienced in FMCG categories.
• Proven track record of developing and executing effective marketing and sales strategies and plans.
• Strong knowledge of market trends, customer needs, competitive landscape, and industry best practices.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficient in using various marketing and sales tools and platforms, such as CRM, social media, email marketing, etc.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• High level of analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Creative, innovative, and customer-oriented mindset.

About the Company

We are one of the world's leading energy producers, and a primary catalyst for Abu Dhabi’s growth and diversification.

We operate across the entire hydrocarbon value chain, through a network of fully-integrated businesses, with interests that range from exploration, production, storage, refining and distribution, to the development of a wide-range of petrochemical products.

Since 1971, we have created thousands of jobs, driven the growth of a diverse knowledge-based economy, and played a key role in Abu Dhabi’s global emergence.

Today, we continue to look for new and innovative ways to maximize the value of our resources, pioneering those approaches and technologies that will ensure we are able to meet the demands of an ever-changing energy market, and continue to have a positive impact on the Abu Dhabi economy for generations to come.

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