Category Development Manager
Sales Maidenhead Full-time United Kingdom
Job Description
As a Category Development Manager, you’ll play a critical role in shaping the future of the UK coffee category.
Working within our Category Development & Shopper Marketing team, you’ll partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and key retail customers to deliver category growth. Reporting to the Demand Accelerator Controller, you’ll lead the development of customer-specific category strategies grounded in deep shopper insight and data.
This is a highly visible, externally focused role where you’ll combine analytical expertise with storytelling, influencing, and commercial acumen to position JDE Peet’s as the supplier of choice.
What you’ll be doing
Build category leadership with customers
- Develop strong, trusted relationships with key retail customers
- Bring our category vision to life, aligning it with customer strategies and growth ambitions
- Lead range reviews, assortment planning, and space optimisation across all channels (store & online)
- Deliver compelling insights and storytelling to drive decision-making
Turn data into actionable insight
- Analyse shopper behaviour, market trends, and performance data
- Identify opportunities to grow sales, optimise promotions, and improve profitability
- Deliver regular performance reviews and actionable recommendations
Drive commercial impact
- Lead promotional effectiveness analysis — defining what to stop, start, and continue
- Support distribution and assortment strategies
- Own Product Quadrant Analysis (PQA) and proactively manage underperforming SKUs
- Deliver quarterly market insight decks and category updates
Collaborate internally to win
- Partner with Sales, Marketing, Category Strategy, and Shopper teams
- Support new product launches and relaunches to maximise impact
- Contribute to customer business planning and commercial reviews
- Ensure alignment on range review cycles and execution plans
Qualifications
What you’ll bring
- Proven experience in Category Development or Category Strategy (FMCG), ideally 4+ years
- Strong understanding of UK retail, shoppers, and customers
- Advanced analytical skills — able to turn complex data into clear, compelling insights
- Experience using data tools such as Nielsen, IRI, Kantar, or Dunnhumby
- Excellent Excel and PowerPoint skills
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Confidence presenting to both customers and senior stakeholders
- A proactive, self-driven mindset with a focus on results
- Degree (or equivalent experience)
- Willingness to travel for customer engagement
Additional Information
Why join us?
At JDE Peet’s, you’ll have the opportunity to shape category strategy for some of the world’s most recognised coffee brands, working directly with major retail partners.
You’ll be part of a business where your ideas matter, your growth is supported, and your impact is visible.
#li-hybrid
JDE Peet’s - now part of Keurig Dr Pepper – is the world’s leading pure-play coffee company, with a presence in more than 100 markets. Guided by our ‘Reignite the Amazing’ strategy, we are focused on brand-led growth across three big bets: Peet’s, L’OR, and our 10 strategically selected local icons led by Jacobs.
Company Description
At JDE Peet’s, we’re passionate about coffee — and the moments it creates. Every day, millions of people enjoy our brands, with over 4,400 cups of coffee served every second in more than 100 markets.
As the world’s leading pure-play coffee company, we’re on an exciting journey driven by our strategy: “Reignite the Amazing.” We’re accelerating growth behind iconic global brands like Peet’s, L’OR, and Jacobs, alongside beloved local favourites such as Kenco, Douwe Egberts, Marcilla, and Moccona.
With 21,000+ colleagues worldwide and €8.8 billion in annual sales, we’re a truly global business — but our success is built on local insight, entrepreneurial spirit, and bold thinking.
Life at JDE Peet’s
We believe amazing things happen over a cup of coffee — and at JDE Peet’s, you’ll help create those moments.
Our culture is built on four values:
- Dare to Amaze – challenge the status quo
- Own It – take responsibility and make it happen
- Make It Simple – cut through complexity
- Win Together – collaborate to succeed
Here, you’ll have the freedom to innovate, the support to grow, and the opportunity to make real impact in a fast-paced, global environment.