Job Title: Senior Category Manager
Name: Neil Pallant
Company: Campbell Grocery Products
Professional Qualification(s):
BA Retail Marketing Studied at Manchester Metropolitan University A Levels in Politics and Government History 8 GCSE’s
Brief overview of your job:
I am the Senior Category Manager for our Meal Solutions Business (which includes our Homepride sauces, Campbell’s soups and Fray Bentos pies). I’m also a member of the cross-functional Meal Solutions Business Team
What does your job involve?
- Creating category strategies and overseeing their execution Engaging with our retail partners on the relevant categories – advising on how to drive future growth
- Liaising with our internal account teams to ensure they share all relevant consumer and shopper insights with our customers and build them into joint business plans where appropriate
- Working within a cross functional Business Team to ensure the retail perspective is taken into account for all business decisions
- Ensuring that, as a Business Team, we create and execute a 3 year plan to hit the required financial and consumer targets.
What do you most like about your job?
- The split between building internal and external relationships
- Making decisions on the future of our brands
- The different challenges
- I never stop learning about how our consumers behave
What skills are required in your job?
- Need to be open and candid
- Good interpersonal skills
- Need to ensure the consumer and the shopper are at the heart of all our decisions
What is your advice to people looking for a career in the food & grocery industry?
- Gain a broad depth of experience
- Consistently challenge your thinking
- Be prepared for change on a daily basis!
- When you look at the consumer don’t forget about the shopper!
Career so far:
J Sainsbury – various management positions
Bestfoods – Category Marketing Manager / Senior National Account Manager
H J Heinz – Senior National Account Manager
Campbells Soup Company – Senior National Account Manager