Category Development Manager

We are Pernod Ricard, a leading company in the global wines and spirits industry with over 19,000 employees globally. We own 16 of the world’s top 100 Spirits Brands and hold one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry with 240 premium brands available in over 160 countries, including: Absolut vodka, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater, Malfy and Monkey 47 gins, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes.

In the UK, Pernod Ricard is made up of 4 businesses:

• · Pernod Ricard UK, which markets, sells and distributes our products in the UK.
• · Chivas Brothers, the largest brand company in the Group, responsible for the production and management of our award-winning Scotch whisky portfolio.
• · Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail, the global and EMEA home of the group’s duty free, air travel and cruises business.
• · The Absolut Group, the brand owner of our global white spirits portfolio, whose Gin brand unit and Business Acceleration team sit in London.

We are an organisation of 2,000 employees in the UK, headquartered in London, in a brand-new office designed with sustainability, ‘conviviality’ and collaboration in mind. We also have offices in Scotland and various distilleries and production sites across the UK from Plymouth to London to Speyside. ​

This position sits in our Pernod Ricard UK (PRUK) business. Our diverse population of 300+ passionate employees have been creating conviviality since 2001, bringing our premium brands and unforgettable experiences to the UK. As the world’s 2nd largest spirits market, the UK is a key location for our company.

At PRUK, we have a culture that blends performance and conviviality: we are recognised as an open and diverse business with a firm commitment to our employees’ wellness, inclusion and safety and to making a positive impact on our industry and environment.

The Category and Insights team sits within Strategy and Transformation, alongside RGM and the Transformation Office. The Customer Development Manager ensures our customer and market strategies are grounded in robust shopper, sales, and category insights to drive mutually beneficial category growth in Spirits, Champagne, and RTDs in line with our business ambitions.

You will have the following main areas of responsibility:

Develop and Deliver Insight-Led Growth Strategies:

• Turn category, shopper, and consumer data into clear insights that drive growth for PRUK and Off-Trade customers.
• Build strong retailer relationships, delivering category stories, trend insights, and growth recommendations.
• Support key customer engagements (e.g. range reviews, brand days) with compelling analysis.
• Represent the UK Spirits and RTD/RTS category in brand team decisions and NPD sell-in stories.

Drive Category Thought Leadership:

• Develop forward-thinking category perspectives that keep PRUK ahead of market trends.
• Champion a fact-based, shopper-led view of the market and identify new growth opportunities.

Maximise the Value of Data & Tools:

• Manage day-to-day relationships with data suppliers and ensure strong ROI on data investment.
• Use key data sources (e.g., NielsenIQ, Quantium, Dunnhumby, Nectar360, Kantar) to build robust insights.

Influence Internally Across PRUK:

• Present category insights in key internal meetings and planning forums.
• Partner with brand teams to guide decisions and develop category-led customer stories.
• Work closely with Insights to integrate consumer understanding throughout the business.

​ You will have the following key relationships:

• · Wider Category and Insights Team
• · Strategy & Transformation Team
• · Commercial account teams for your customer(s)
• · Key category contacts within your customer(s) (buyers, range analysts, category planners)
• · Brand teams for your dedicated brand(s)
• · Client lead contact at your data agency (e.g., Nielsen, Nectar360, Dunnhumby, Kantar)
• · Regular participation in relevant off-trade commercial meetings and key internal planning sessions

This position could be right for you if you:

Have experience in category development, customer insights, or commercial strategy, with exposure to off-trade channels and data-driven decision-making.

Capabilities:

• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills to turn insights into action. · Strong collaboration and influencing skills, able to engage both internal teams and customers.
• Results-oriented mindset with a focus on driving growth and business impact.
• Project management skills to deliver multiple initiatives and customer engagements effectively.
• The ideal candidate would be highly proficient in using AI in areas such as building and enhancing reporting and generating richer and more efficient data analysis.

Our mix of benefits:

For your health, we offer private medical insurance, critical illness cover and an optional healthcare cash plan and dental insurance. Our lifestyle benefits options include 28 days’ annual holiday, your employee pension, share incentive plan, family care, season ticket loans, free mortgage advice, payroll giving and more! You can access lots of gifts & discounts, including an allowance each year to spend on our brands in our staff shop and employee discounts from a range of high street retailers. We have regular events in our very own office bar, employee-run networks, a culture of flexibility and trust and a variety of tools and resources to help you focus on your wellbeing and mental fitness.

Conviviality: The Pernod Ricard Way

We have our own way of doing things. We call it conviviality! It’s our way of being, and something unique you feel and experience when working for Pernod Ricard. We’re committed to conviviality, and with this, you’ll be Proud to Belong to our Pernod Ricard family. You’ll be Empowered to Perform, supported to succeed, and acknowledged for the value you bring. We combine all this with our Commitment to Care: we are unlocking the magic of human connection to transform our industry and make a positive impact on the world though our strong focus on sustainability and responsibility.

We’re committed to diversity and inclusion:

People are at the heart of everything we do at Pernod Ricard and are the foundation of our collective spirit as ‘Créateurs de Convivialité’. We promote diversity and inclusion throughout our business and supply chain. In our teams, we proactively foster a diverse work force and an inclusive culture – an environment where we can truly be ourselves. We will assess your application for this role based on your skills, experiences and achievements, not your gender, age, ethnic or educational background or any other such factors. Please feel free to leave these off your CV and application form if you so wish. Similarly, if you would like to discuss opportunities for flexible working or require accommodations or support to complete our application process, please let us know.

Responsible drinking:

As ‘Créateurs de convivialité’, we want to turn social interactions into genuine and friendly experiences of sharing and wellbeing. In our culture, we want to create diverse teams in which our differences contribute to our success. Therefore, all are welcome at Pernod Ricard, regardless of your religious beliefs or personal choices on the consumption of alcohol. In our business, we work together with industry members, civil society, governments, local authorities and UN bodies to promote responsible drinking.

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