Category Insights Manager

Asahi Beverages New Zealand is looking for a Category Insights Manager to shape category growth and drive the Perfect Store vision across the Traditional liquor channel. The role partners with customers and internal teams to turn data-led insights into action, raising in-store execution standards and pushing category performance. This is a chance to become a trusted trade partner and deliver real impact on how brands win in market. The company is part of a broader beverage group with a footprint across Australia and New Zealand, rooted in a portfolio of iconic brands and a focus on quality and innovation. If you enjoy turning numbers into compelling category stories and collaborating across sales, marketing and shopper marketing, you’ll likely fit this team well. The company’s roots trace back to Melbourne, with facilities scattered across Australia and New Zealand. The NZ arm emphasizes nurturing talent and rewarding ambition, all while helping brands connect with consumers through moments of celebration and shared enjoyment. If you want to work where data meets daily in-store action and you’re keen to influence how products perform on shelf, this could be a solid next step in your category career.

Turning insights into in-store impact

The day-to-day involves translating category growth strategies into practical plans such as joint business plans, range reviews and new product development initiatives, while also designing and implementing Perfect Store standards, what the shelf should look like, how ranges are built, and where displays and space should sit. You’ll work closely with Sales, Marketing and Shopper Marketing to align on direction and deliver category initiatives tailored to each partner. Using shopper and scan data, you’ll uncover meaningful insights and turn them into persuasive category sell stories for customers, then keep a close eye on NPD and Perfect Store performance, taking corrective actions when needed. You’ll also support customer forums, delivering actionable insights that help drive category growth and better in-store execution across the board.

What you’ll bring to the team

This is an entry level Category Manager position, designed for someone who’s ready to step into a broader category role in a busy, consumer-focused market. The listing hints that you could come from an entry-level path or progress from a Category Executive, Account Exec or ABM role while showing genuine category, sales or brand experience and a real enthusiasm for working in Category.

• Some FMCG exposure in roles like Sales, Category Management, or Marketing with a practical business focus
• Solid grasp of retail and shopper behaviour, plus hands-on use of data tools such as Nielsen scan data
• Clear presentation and storytelling abilities, both spoken and visual
• Business-minded, customer-focused, and able to influence across multiple stakeholders
• Flexible, goal-driven and comfortable managing complexity while delivering strategic outcomes

• Bonus if you’ve moved up from an entry-level Category Executive, Account Exec or ABM role and can point to category or brand experience
• Bonus if you’ve collaborated on cross-functional category initiatives or worked in projects that require joint planning or NPD considerations

Practical details

The role is full-time and onsite in New Zealand, with Asahi Beverages NZ handling the local operations. The company notes its broader footprint in Australia and New Zealand and positions itself as a place where talent is nurtured and ambition is recognised, with a portfolio built around quality beverages and ongoing innovation.

Tips to stand out in this category role

Lead with your category-related wins. On your resume, put any FMCG experience in Sales, Category Management or Marketing up front, and begin with a concise summary that highlights data-driven projects, like how you used shopper data to drive a category win or improved in-store performance.

Show how you prove your must-have skills. When describing a project, outline the data you used, the action you took, and the measurable result you achieved, especially any work that turned shopper insights into a sell story for a retailer or customer.

Be ready to discuss cross-team collaboration. Prepare a concrete example of a time you partnered with Sales, Marketing and Shopper Marketing to align on a category initiative and how you navigated different priorities to land a agreed plan.

Ask a thoughtful question at the end. For instance, inquire how Asahi NZ defines Perfect Store standards today and how category insights feed into joint business planning and NPD for the Traditional liquor channel.