Category Manager CS&E - COCOA (Cough, Cold & Allergy) Benelux

Description Overview

As the Category Manager of CS&E, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Benelux business within your category of responsibility. Acting as the voice of both the shopper and the customer, you will ensure that strategies are grounded in real consumer insights and market needs. You will collaborate cross-functionally with key stakeholders across sales, marketing, supply chain, and finance to deliver best-in-class executions. Your work will directly contribute to achieving the business objectives for the market, driving growth and strengthening our competitive position.

Scope of the Role

Deliver Benelux Business Goals & CS&E Strategy

• Drive delivery of annual, quarterly, and monthly business cycle requirements.

• Translate aligned budget goals into clear country and channel targets.

Develop Leading CS&E Principles

• Partner with Marketing to design and deploy commercial plans to local Sales teams, including concept sells and trade story days.

• Establish clear commercial guidelines for trade spend investment and collaborate with Account Managers to tailor brand/category plans to customers.

• Act as a key partner to the Benelux Market Lead, representing external market realities and defining what is needed to win in the category.

• Lead Go-To-Market strategy, CVA input, and target ownership for COCOA innovation, ensuring clarity of success factors for the country.

• Support the Market Lead with commercial ownership of COCOA challenges and opportunities, recommending corrective actions where needed.

• Adapt centrally deployed innovation tools for local sales teams to ensure effective execution of initiatives.

• Collaborate with Cluster & Central CS&E teams to influence commercial innovation needs for COCOA.

• Lead deployment of annual brand plans across Benelux.

• Performance Analytics: Utilize internal and external data (Nielsen, IQVIA, Sell-In, Sell-Out, Perfect Store KPIs) to monitor and achieve category targets.

• Insight-Based Decision Support: Translate analytics into actionable commercial strategies for Sales and Marketing.

• Digital Enablement: Champion data-driven tools and dashboards to enhance visibility of category performance and execution quality.

Win in Executional Excellence

• Own Perfect Store & DVRP (Distribution, Visibility, Recommendation, Price) measurement for COCOA and lead continuous improvement action plans.

• Lead execution of COCOA innovation and track KPI progress across the country.

• Deliver and report on commercial components of the local COCOA Success Model.

• Partner with Sales & Marketing to ensure winning execution of annual plans in market.

• Drive Perfect Store strategy execution by channel and key customer (distribution, pricing, promotions, visibility, CatMan/Merchandising projects).

• Actively contribute to S&OP meetings, ensuring forecast accuracy in collaboration with the demand team.

Build Capability & Enable Success

• Optimize processes and tools for maximum efficiency and impact.

• Collaborate effectively with Sales, Marketing, Supply, Finance, RGM, and central teams.

• Contribute proactively to share & reapply sessions.

• Partner with the CS&I community to build collective capability.

• Elevate customer development excellence by driving tailored executions for channels and customers.

Experience Required

• 5+ years of experience in a large FMCG or Consumer Health environment

• Strong background in Shopper & Trade Marketing and Sales

• Proven track record of delivering business results in commercial roles

• Ability to design and implement effective strategies, processes, and controls, including trade fund management and business planning (e.g., JBP’s, Pharmacy FSF cycle plans)

• Demonstrated success in building external relationships, integrating omni-channel strategies, and managing retailer partnerships

• Fluent in written and spoken Dutch and English