Category Manager
Essity · Zeist
Hygiene and health are more important than ever. At Essity, we break barriers to well-being and make a positive impact on people and society. With leading brands such as Edet, Tempo, TENA, Libresse, Okay and Demak’Up, we continuously strive to improve everyday life.
We are currently looking for a Category Manager – Consumer Tissue to strengthen our Customer Marketing team in the Benelux.
About the Role
As Category Manager, you are the expert and lead contact for the Consumer Tissue category, driving category growth with customers and internally. You act as the key interface between Sales, Marketing, and Insights, translating shopper and market insights into actionable strategies.
You will operate in a dynamic team consisting of Category Managers, NRM Manager and Online & Offline activation manager, working closely with (Key) Account Managers and Brand Teams.
What you will do
Develop and implement category strategies and visions across key customers and channels
Translate shopper insights, market data, and brand strategies into customer-specific activation plans
Lead category reviews and range reviews with retailers
Provide assortment, shelving (planograms), and merchandising recommendations
Define and monitor category KPIs, track performance, and define corrective actions
Analyse prices and promotions, and provide recommendations for optimization
Build strong relationships with retailer category managers and buyers to deliver joint value
Act as a core member of the brand team (Marketing, Sales, Supply) for Consumer Tissue
Contribute to the annual business planning process, including category growth plans
Monitor performance against KPIs and develop action plans to achieve targets
Bring proactive insights and opportunities based on data and shopper understanding
Leverage retail (Nielsen IQ), consumer panel, retail data and POS data to generate insights
Develop reports, dashboards, and category scorecards
Identify growth opportunities through trend analysis, OOS analysis, and competitive tracking
Translate insights into clear recommendations and compelling selling stories
Provide input into consumer pricing strategy and scenario planning
Define promotion guidelines and mechanics that drive category growth
Support range prioritization and portfolio optimization
Justify shelf space allocation with data-driven arguments
Lead or support NPD launches and relaunches in your category
Develop customer-specific trade stories, presentations, and launch toolkits
Ensure successful execution of innovations in-store
Coordinate with internal teams and agencies for implementation
Who You Are
Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field
2–5 years of FMCG experience, preferably in Category Management, Customer Marketing, Sales, or Insights
Strong analytical capability with experience in Nielsen IQ / retail data analysis
Experience with planogramming tools (e.g., Spaceman) is a strong plus
Customer-facing experience with retailers (grocery, drug, or pharmacy) is advantageous
Highly data-driven, proactive, and opportunity-oriented
Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
Fluent in Dutch and English, French is a plus
A shopper and customer-first mindset
Ability to translate data into action
Strong ownership and project management skills
Commercial acumen and growth mindset
Collaborative spirit with a hands-on attitude
What We Offer
A dynamic and collaborative working environment. Competitive compensation package including: 13th month salary, Bonus scheme Attractive pension plan, 11.5 ADV days (full time). Opportunities for growth and development within Essity. The chance to make an impact in a purpose-driven organization