Retail Lubricants Category Manager

Job Purpose

The Retail Lubricants Category Manager is responsible for driving Lubricants sales in Retail through category product planning and execution of strategic product marketing plans, as well as gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working closely with, sales, marketing, sourcing, and procurement to ensure customer satisfaction goals and business objectives are met. He/She must ensure delivery of the retail lubricant volume & margin, through delivery of the agreed category agenda, and working with retail team to deliver excellent on-site execution. He/She manages cross-business issues from Retail perspective, including supply, marketing, pricing, portfolio, and cross-channel conflicts (e.g., wholesale volumes in retail vs. distributor)

Principal Accountabilities

• Accountable for Retail lubricants P&L – including delivery of volume, margin and OPEX (both SP&A and other OPEX).
• Develops country category plan:

- Develops category strategy, objectives, and tactics.

- Sets country objectives and strategies for PCMO, MCO, and HDEO.

- Implements country marketing activities/programs for PCMO, MCO, and HDEO.

- Sets country KPI's for PCMO, MCO, and HDEO sub-categories.

- Presents country category plan to Retail & Marketing management for approval.

• Focal point of expertise for lubricants marketing initiatives in Retail.
• Support roll out of Lubricants country & Group marketing initiatives for the Retail channel locally – in line with agreed category plan.
• Ensuring integration of the lubricant’s agenda with the overall marketing agenda in Retail – including participation in major forecourt initiatives and focus on lubricants within PMTDR.

• Interface with B2B/B2C Lubricants pricing with respect to: - Periodic management & review of the pricing & discounts. - Coordinating with the relevant Pricing Manager to ensure that the price management framework is undertaken periodically and appropriately signed off by Vivo Energy Lubricants Marketing Manager to ensure local channel competitiveness.
• Deliver Retail Lubricants CVP’s and maximize the business in forecourt, store and lube bay considering the different operational platforms for Retail sites (CO or DO), and any transition to and from platforms (e.g. migrating the lube bay platform within CO)
• Manage relationships with customers, stakeholders, and internal resources. (E.g. marketing, B&C, Supply Chain and other functions)
• Identify, quantify and pursue the development of growth opportunities, based on emerging trends and insights
• Interface with Lubricants Supply chain to maximize business opportunity in retail channel; ensuring under-performance in OTIF is reported and escalated as needed.
• In consultation with retail Sales & Operations, ensure strong operational standards and performance within the branded lube bay network, including service standards, staff competency, etc. Work with Retail Network to continually ensure appropriate focus and reinvestment of lube bay assets.
• Manage any cross-channel issues on behalf of retail, including but not limited to portfolio concerns or changes, supply issues, or cross-channel conflicts as they occur.
• Work with Retail Sales & Operations to maximize on-site execution, by supporting the site business planning cycle, helping measure and implement meaningful targets across each of the site formats (site volume, oil change per day, store sales etc.), integrate key execution needs into the Call Planning Cycle, and helping Territory Managers and Retailers have the skills and competency to deliver local targets.
• Together with the local Lubricants Brand Manager, implementing the tailor-made lubricant training modules for Retail.
• Represents Retail lubricants at monthly S&OP meetings, submits retail’s sales forecast.
• Ensure that every retail outlet in the country stocks Shell lubricants.
• Monitors & tracks country KPI's, takes corrective actions:

- Leads structured business reviews with local retail stakeholders, lubricant’s marketers & supply chain on category performance monthly.

- Forwards monthly summaries of the reviews to Retail Manager & Lubricants Brand manager.

- Ensures follow-up & analysis of Retail Sales and KPI's (Mix, growth, budget expenses, profitability, MS)

- Support S&OP process by providing forecast.

Key Challenges

• Interface management: For effective relationships, the Retail lubricants category manager is the key manager of the Retail/lubricants interface.
• Implementation means drive the process for the category manager while the true field implementation is carried out by retail. Implementation is a shared responsibility, and its success depends on the true contribution of each player throughout the process. The incumbent would need to possess skills to influence direction with key retail stakeholders.
• Category manager should be empowered to think and act in a collaborative approach between Retail and Lubes organizations.
• Category management is dynamic and needs ongoing collection and analysis of market, consumer, and customer information to aid decision making process and seek opportunities.
• Category management is a way of handling the retail customer and the lubes category.

Requirements

Job Knowledge, Skills & Experiences

• Master's degree in Sales & Marketing or a degree in engineering
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in category management with an understanding of category management processes would be an advantage.
• Strong background in merchandising, purchasing, financial analysis and stock control.
• Previous experience in retail operations is desirable.
• Previous sales/commercial experience is desirable.
• Demonstrates the ability to select, analyze and integrate consumer/shopper, customer, and
• category information to deliver business solutions.

Competences :

- Delivers Results : Skill

- Coaching & Development : Knowledge

- Working in & building teams : Skill

- Retailer Relationship Management : Skill

- Customer Value Proposition : Skill

- Selling & Negotiation : Skill

- Channel Management : Skill

- Market Awareness : Skill

- Merchandising : Skill

- Pricing : Skill

NB : Interested applicants should submit their resume no later than august 4th, 2024. Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.