Assistant Category Manager

Role Overview:

As the Category Lead for Oils, you will own the P&L and strategic growth of the Oils category within the B2B HoReCa segment. You’ll drive business outcomes through deep market understanding, supplier partnerships, sourcing excellence, assortment optimization and data-backed decision-making. This role is ideal for a category professional passionate about food commodities, supply chain dynamics and customer-centric innovation in the hospitality and foodservice industry.

Key Responsibilities

1. Category Ownership & Growth Strategy

• Own the Category P&L – driving topline growth, margin improvement, and working capital efficiency across the Oils portfolio.
• Develop and execute the category growth strategy in line with organizational goals and market opportunities.
• Identify and act on category growth levers – assortment, pricing, supply chain optimization, and brand/vendor collaborations.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the B2B Oils market – consumption trends, price movements, bulk buying patterns, and brand positioning within the HoReCa ecosystem.

2. Market Understanding & Competitive Intelligence

• Conduct regular market and competitor analysis (brands, pack sizes, price points, and sourcing models).
• Stay on top of commodity price fluctuations, trade policies, and regional demand trends affecting edible oils.
• Anticipate shifts in HoReCa customer behavior and proactively adjust sourcing and assortment strategies.

3. Sourcing, Procurement & Vendor Management

• Lead vendor sourcing and negotiations for both branded and private-label oils.
• Build strong relationships with manufacturers, distributors and aggregators to ensure consistent supply, quality, and competitive pricing.
• Manage stock positions and procurement planning to align with demand forecasts and price movements.
• Drive end-to-end catalogue management – from vendor onboarding to SKU listing, pricing and pricing accuracy.

4. Assortment & Merchandising

• Curate the optimal assortment for the HoReCa segment focusing on relevance, pack sizes and value-based pricing.
• Collaborate with the supply chain and operations teams to ensure seamless availability and timely replenishment.

5. Promotions, Marketing & Growth Initiatives

• Leverage data insights to plan targeted promotions, bulk deals and volume-based incentives for HoReCa customers.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with internal teams – Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, Growth & Analytics and Operations to deliver business objectives.
• Set up category SOPs and best practices for pricing, inventory management, vendor engagementand catalog health.

Desired Skills & Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in category management, sourcing, or procurement, ideally in FMCG/B2B Food Supply or Agri Commodities.
• Understanding of the HoReCa market and how buying behavior differs from retail consumers.
• Proven experience managing P&L, sourcing contracts and large vendor portfolios.
• Ability to analyze market trends and price indices to take smart stock positions and manage category risk.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-backed decisions in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills with an ability to build long-term strategic partnerships.
• A self-starter with high ownership, attention to detail, and the agility to thrive in a fast-paced start-up ecosystem.