Category Manager, Emerging Categories

Job Location: ​Parsippany​

Company description

Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000 dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.

About the Role:

As the Category Manager for Emerging Categories, you will lead the charge in shaping Ferrero’s growth strategy for new product segments in the U.S. market. You’ll be responsible for driving both sales and margin performance across your assigned categories, while developing and executing strategic plans that position Ferrero as a category leader. In this role, you’ll craft compelling selling stories that build brand equity and influence customer decisions, helping to establish Ferrero’s footprint in exciting new spaces. Your insights and leadership will be key to unlocking growth opportunities and delivering measurable impact.

The position is hybrid, and will be based in Ferrero's North American HQ in Parsippany, NJ, and report to the Category Director, CCC, Non-Chocolate.

Main Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain and communicate Ferrero’s strategy on how to grow new emerging categories, focusing on Distribution, Merchandising, Shelving, and Pricing (DSMP) fundamentals
• Support key initiatives within the Emerging Categories
• Translate Category Management annual & long-term priorities to actionable sales stories & initiatives
• Work collaboratively with Field Sales, Trade Marketing, and Customer Marketing to develop recommendations for aligned KPIs and ensure process integrity each session
• Provide category input during JBP process and support execution against strategic initiatives and commitments in key accounts
• Work collaboratively to develop innovative and insightful content to drive category growth
• Assist Field Sales in developing medium and long-term business opportunities at accounts in assigned category
• Develop category based selling stories for new product launches through commercial planning process
• Manage and maximize use & output of syndicated research resources, shopper insights platforms, category management teams, research projects in support of the sales organization and ensure linkage with the category management plan
• Strong understanding of syndicated to help predict trends and find “dig” sites to develop category management strategies
• Monitor and analyze category, competition and consumer market data to identify business opportunities and develop new category development plans

Developmental Opportunities:

• Interact with cross-functional team members from different departments and levels of the organization, gaining exposure, awareness of other functions, and experience collaborating.
• Lead key projects and demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit as you help address category management opportunities. Be responsible for launching & developing important resources that will be leveraged across the organization.
• Participate in Ferrero & CatMan specific trainings to sharpen your skills and prepare for advancement opportunities within the CatMan team.
• Formal and informal mentorships with stakeholders for Sales, Trade Marketing, Brand, and Consumer & Shopper Understanding. Provides for multiple career mapping opportunities.

Who we are looking for:

• 7 years or more relevant experience required, CPG Foods experience is preferred; Bachelor’s degree in a business/marketing discipline required; MBA a plus
• Prior Category Management role required; Additional insights experience preferred
• Syndicated data required; IRI preferred but not mandatory
• Interpersonal skills to interface effectively with the necessary internal and external stakeholders, building solid relationships and achieving brand sales goals
• Strategic and proactive thinking to develop category strategies and translate them into distribution, shelving, pricing and merchandising objectives
• Data analysis skills to monitor key accounts' performance in category and develop strategies to close gaps, increase sales, etc.
• Solid MS Office skills, especially Excel & PowerPoint, and Storytelling capabilities to translate data & insights into selling narratives
• Management presentation competencies to effectively present key category insights in front of internal and external stakeholders
• Candidates should possess strong collaborative capabilities, high integrity & ethics, and operate daily with the company's values in mind
• Global mindset; desire to build a successful career with a growing global company
• Excellent written, oral and presentation skills
• Trade class and industry knowledge
• 25% Travel required for customer meetings and industry events

Compensation Data

The base salary range for this position is $120,000 - $142,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This range represents the anticipated salary for this position at this time.

In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. Learn more about our benefits at

How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:

Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world.

Diversity Statement

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.

Ferrero U.S.A. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.