Category Executive

The Vacancy

Location: Uxbridge, West London
Department: Category - Brands - Meat & Plant Based
Way of Working: Office-based

Looking to Start Your FMCG Category Career?

Have you recently completed a degree and gained experience through a Category, Marketing, Commercial, Shopper Insight, or FMCG placement year? Or perhaps you've completed a graduate programme within FMCG, Retail, or the Food Industry and are looking for your next challenge?

We're looking for a Category Executive to join our Brands team on a 12-month maternity cover contract, supporting the growth of exciting food categories across some of the UK's leading retailers.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience in Category Management, working closely with commercial teams, customers, and internal stakeholders to turn shopper and consumer insights into winning category strategies.

What You'll Be Doing

• Building relationships with retail customers, including Buyers and Merchandisers.
• Analysing shopper, consumer, and market data to identify category opportunities.
• Supporting category reviews, range recommendations, and customer presentations.
• Creating engaging insight-led reports and category stories.
• Monitoring category performance and identifying growth opportunities.
• Acting as the voice of the shopper within the business.
• Working closely with Commercial, Marketing, Brand, and Customer teams to support category growth.

About You

We're keen to hear from candidates who have

✅ A degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Food, Consumer Behaviour, or a related subject.

✅ Completed a placement year or graduate programme within:

• Category Management
• Shopper Marketing
• Marketing
• Commercial
• FMCG
• Food Manufacturing
• Retail

✅ Strong analytical skills and confidence working with data.

✅ Excellent communication and presentation skills.

✅ Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.

✅ A genuine interest in consumer behaviour, retail trends, and category growth.

✅ The ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience with Nielsen, Circana (IRI), Kantar, or similar data sources.
• Exposure to UK grocery retailers.
• FMCG, food, branded, or plant-based category experience.

Why Join Pilgrim's Europe?

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to develop your career within one of Europe's leading food businesses, gaining exposure to Category, Commercial, Marketing, and Customer teams while working with major UK retailers.

Benefits Include

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Pension scheme
• Employee discount platform
• Ongoing training and development
• Exposure to senior stakeholders and retail customers
• Excellent career progression opportunities across Category, Commercial, and Marketing functions

Whether you're coming from a placement year, graduate scheme, or an entry-level FMCG role, this is an excellent opportunity to build a successful career in Category Management within a leading food manufacturer.

Apply today and help shape the future of our Brands - Meat & Plant Based categories!

Our Story

Pilgrim's Europe produces some of the best-known and most iconic brands in the UK and Ireland, including Fridge Raiders, Rollover, Denny, Richmond, Oakhouse and Moy Park, alongside a diverse range of industry leading own-label products in categories including fresh pork, lamb and chicken, working with all the major retailers and food service outlets.

Our portfolio extends to authentic chilled and frozen ready meals, snacking ranges, added value and food service products.

Across Pilgrim's Europe we combine 20,000 of the best people in the industry, united by a shared set of core values and a passion for producing the highest quality, most delicious and innovative food, which is enjoyed by millions of people in the UK, Ireland and Europe every day. Our Pilgrim's Europe team are based in our Pilgrim's UK, Moy Park, Pilgrim's Food Masters and Pilgrim's Shared Services businesses.

Rewards & Benefits

Competitive Salary

Competitive Holiday Entitlement

Pension Contribution

Family Friendly Policies

Learning and Development Opportunities

Life Assurance