Head of Category Development - Trade

Function: On Trade - Category & Commercial Strategy

Location: Field-based

Salary: £76,000 - £86,000 (depending on experience) plus 15% of base salary as a benefits allowance (paid in cash) plus annual commercial bonus, in addition to full benefits listed below.

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: Monday 5th October 2026 Please note where we receive high volumes of applications, we may choose to close the vacancy early so don't delay applying!

“This is a pivotal role for the On Trade, giving you the opportunity to shape how we think about our beer and cider categories and influence where we focus for future growth. You’ll have real scope to make changes, develop your team and work closely with some of our biggest commercial stakeholders.” – Neil, Hiring Manager

As the nation’s leading pub, cider and beer company and the name behind a host of brilliant brands, we’re looking for equally brilliant people to help us on our journey to building a better future.

We’ve got a great opportunity to join our On Trade team as a Category Development Controller, where you’ll lead our beer and cider category strategy and influence how we turn insight into commercial growth.

Reporting to the Head of Category & Revenue Management, you'll lead the development of our On Trade beer and cider category strategy, identifying where we can grow and setting the direction for how we develop the category across our customers and channels.

You’ll bring together data, insight and your understanding of customers and shoppers to identify growth opportunities, build strategic recommendations and turn them into clear execution plans. You'll work closely with our customers to make sure those plans translate into action.

You’ll also be the voice of the category in wider business planning, working across Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management and our wider commercial teams. Alongside this, you'll lead a team of 4 Category Managers, setting direction, coaching and developing them to deliver against our strategic objectives.

• Lead the development of our On Trade beer and cider category strategy, using customer, shopper and market insight to identify growth opportunities.
• Turn insight and data into clear category strategies, recommendations and execution plans that deliver commercial impact.
• Represent the On Trade category in Integrated Commercial Planning, influencing wider business decisions and ensuring customer and category priorities are reflected.
• Lead the category agenda at joint customer planning sessions, using insight and recommendations to influence senior customer stakeholders.
• Develop best-practice category and brand selling stories, sales tools and capability across our commercial teams.
• Build strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders, managing expectations and creating alignment around shared objectives.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of 4 Category Managers, creating an environment where people are encouraged to challenge thinking, share ideas and develop their capability.

This is a senior category leadership role, so we're looking for someone who can combine Category Management expertise, people leadership, commercial thinking and the ability to turn insight into action.

You’ll bring:

• Category Management:
  Proven experience applying Category Management principles and delivering strategic projects that have made a commercial impact.
• Team leadership:
  Experience leading, coaching and developing a team, with the ability to inspire, align and motivate people around strategic objectives.
• Insight to action: A track record of using customer, shopper and market insight to identify growth opportunities, shape strategy and turn it into practical execution plans with…