Category Manager - Mainstream Spirits

Job DescriptionAbout the Function:Our Sales team love building relationships, connecting with customers to sell our much-loved brands in new and vibrant markets where they can thrive. They help sell our iconic brands across 180 countries every year.We’re operating across different markets, channels, and areas of expertise. Using your curiosity and passion, you’ll make the most of consumer insight and digital platforms, reaching new customers, markets, and celebrations to help us achieve our growth potential. We’ll support your learning and growth as you develop your career with us and work with people across our business to realise your fullest potential.About The RoleRequires a person who is extremely organized, dependable and self-motivated with the ability to excel in a hands-on, fast paced environment. Disciplined & creative leader with the ability to bring to life Diageo’sworld- class line of brands. Build positive relationships & expand influence to get things done at pace. This includes balancing numerous projects at one time and can flex their style based on the collaborator/function you are interacting with. Ability to work within a complex matrix organization & handle ambiguitywell. People leadership capability with ability to deliver through people ensuring clear understanding of capability needs and managing this in service of career growth. This role will lead a team of 5 to develop the most efficient and effective Industry leading Shopper Marketing Growth Drivers.Role Responsibilities Partner closely with Marketing leadership to define and drive high-impact, scalable Shopper Marketing growth drivers across the mainstream spirits portfolio for KBL, including category innovations and extensions that deliver long term growth. Own end-to-end leadership of the commercial spirits portfolio (mainstream), to maximize revenue and share growth. Lead the commercialization and tailored adaptation of brand and portfolio initiatives into targeted channel and customer programs that deliver against aggressive commercial plans and Marketing Business Plans (MBPs). Create and scale large, insight-driven programs designed for execution across diverse customers within the marketplace driving sustainable growth and competitive differentiation. Drive the development and delivery of customer- and consumer-centric programs that enhance traffic, basket size, and conversion rates, directly impacting top-line performance. Direct the engagement and performance management of Below the line (BTL) agency partners to uphold industry-leading standards, ensuring innovation, creativity, and excellence in Shopper Marketing activations. Cultivate strong, collaborative relationships with a broad spectrum of internal and external stakeholders—including supply chain, finance, legal, operations, distributor partners, and key customers—to enable seamless program delivery and business alignment. Leverage deep data analytics and insight capabilities to translate complex information into actionable, commercially viable in-store and on-premises programs, from initial concept through toolkit development to execution and measurement, all aimed at driving category growth. Lead the transformation and evolution of the Shopper Marketing team structure and scope, playing a pivotal role in defining new responsibilities, workflows, and ways of working to meet future business needsTop 3-5 AccountabilitiesStrong analytical skills and commercial foresight to be able to create and see to execution programs that unlock sustainable growth.Good presentation skills. Having a good data driven story to influence and drive decision making for direct reports as well as senior collaborators.Ability to build adapt and/or build big, creative programs. To develop & translate customer & shopper insights into customer specific activities and programsMeet budgetary objectives and adjust project constraints based on financial analysisConsistently measure and intervene to make sure the programs deliver / exceed targets. Timely issues and course correction based on judgement from the performance trackingPeople leadership capability in service of business delivery and most importantly ensuring achievement of long-term career objectives.Key Relationships: Commercial and marketing Directors, Sales team, Finance team, Marketing team, Procurement team, 3rd Party agenciesExperience / Skills RequiredA proven track record in either Marketing and/or Sales (Customer Marketing)Strong creative judgment and good commercial understanding (of our customers and their shoppers)Strong understanding of channels, shopper insights etc. to develop brilliant shopper programsAn individual who understands how to get things done within Diageo and can influence across a broad network of the organization –there is some ‘thinking’ involved’ but much of this will be about simply ‘decide’ and ‘act’An ability to inspire agencies to deliver great work and ideally some experience of working with key customersStrong people skills and ability to drive positive cultureA business-related qualificationPrevious commercial management experienceExperience in leading and managing changeFlexible Working StatementFlexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.Diversity StatementOur purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you.If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you capture this information when you submit your application.aWorker TypeRegularPrimary Location:KBLAdditional Locations :Job Posting Start Date2025-11-21