Category Planner - Grocery Drinks

Salary:
Competitive Plus Benefits

Location:

London Store Support Centre and Home, London, EC1M 6HA

Contract type:
Permanent
Business area:
Sainsbury's Commercial & Sustainability
Closing date: 03 September 2026
Requisition :

We'd all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That's waiting for you at Sainsbury's. Here, everything in our stores starts in Sainsbury's Commercial. From product, proposition, packaging and price, to whether it meets our sustainability commitments or simply tastes great, our team is responsible for, all food, non- food and Clothing items available in Sainsbury's stores, online and on demand.

It's an incredibly fast-paced environment. People here are in it together and aren't afraid to take risks. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves anywhere else in the business. So, if you're passionate about your products and just as hungry to learn, you'll fit in perfectly.

Joining the Category Planning team at Sainsbury's means being part of a team that is always one step ahead in delivering exceptional propositions for our customers. As a Category Planner for Grocery Drinks, you'll support the team in delivering the category's overall value proposition.

You'll work with a range of stakeholders, from buyers and Nectar
360 to marketing teams and our supply base. Combining in-depth analysis with a keen eye for detail, you'll sit at the heart of our corporate strategy, taking ownership of seasonal and activation space delivery and playing a key role in the quarterly space planning process.

Own the seasonal and activation space delivery process, working cross-functionally to drive best practice and right-first-time delivery.

Support the implementation and communication of the retail execution of seasonal events and in-store activations.

Support space performance reviews for seasonal and activation space, using data and insight to drive improvements.

Play a key role in the quarterly space planning process, from reviewing allocated space to helping plan and present quarterly space kick-offs and sign-offs.

Collaborate with buyers, Supply Chain, Marketing, Nectar
360, Business Unit Operations and our supply base to deliver best-in-class seasonal and activation plans for our customers.

You are a highly organised individual who thrives on planning, prioritising and coordinating.

You have strong project management and analytical skills, enabling you to manage timelines effectively and drive improvements through data-led insights.

You have excellent communication and relationship-building skills, enabling you to collaborate closely with stakeholders across the organisation and build strong working relationships at all levels.

You work effectively within a team and make decisions that are best for the customer, providing both support and constructive challenge.

You consistently show initiative and drive to solve problems and improve processes.

An understanding of retail, insight and customers; category, buying or promotions knowledge would be an advantage.

Strong analytical skills, including turning data into insight, solving problems and developing recommendations for stakeholders.

Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships and provide support and constructive challenge to stakeholders at different levels.

An ambitious and motivated approach, with the initiative to solve problems, improve processes, think independently, learn and grow.

Excellent project management skills, with the ability to plan, prioritise, coordinate, drive timelines and identify risks and opportunities.

Strong working knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint.

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We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you'll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there's always the chance to try something new - whether that's as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and,…