Category Lead – Marketing (Food & Snacks)

About the role

Career Directions Limited is recruiting, on behalf of its client, a Category Lead – Marketing (Food & Snacks) for a fast-growing portfolio of noodles, cereals and snacks. The role shapes portfolio strategy, brand positioning, trade activation and consumer engagement across Kenya and regional markets. It calls for a commercially driven marketer with FMCG marketing and category experience and strong exposure to the Food & Snacks sector.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute the annual marketing plan for the Food & Snacks portfolio, aligned with growth and profitability objectives
• Identify consumer and channel opportunities across noodles, cereals and snacks to drive penetration and purchase frequency
• Translate consumer insights and trends into actionable marketing initiatives and build long-term category growth strategies
• Lead brand positioning, messaging and campaign execution, including integrated 360 campaigns (ATL, digital, social media, in-store activations, PR)
• Partner with creative and media agencies and ensure consistent brand communication across packaging, advertising and promotions
• Design trade marketing programs that improve visibility, conversion and distribution, working with Sales and Route-to-Market teams across General Trade, Modern Trade and Institutional channels
• Monitor promotional performance, optimise trade investments for ROI and support retailer engagement
• Support New Product Development from concept to launch, working with R&D, Supply Chain and Sales, and contribute to packaging innovation
• Monitor category performance with brand health, sales, market share and profitability metrics, prepare quarterly business reviews and use BI dashboards to guide decisions

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration or a related field; CIM or MBA is an added advantage
• 5-8 years of FMCG marketing experience, with at least 3 years in food, snacks or category management
• Proven experience managing brands targeting youth, families and mass-market consumers
• Strong understanding of Kenya's General Trade and Modern Trade landscape and exposure to East African markets
• Ability to manage agencies, marketing budgets and promotional campaigns
• Preferred: direct experience managing food/snack brands, NPD, flavor and packaging development, digital marketing and influencer campaigns, and familiarity with SAP S/4HANA or BI dashboards