Category Lead – Marketing (Food & Snacks)

Job Title: Category Lead – Marketing (Food & Snacks)
Location: Thika or Ruiru / Nairobi, Kenya
About the Role
Our client is seeking a Category Lead – Marketing (Food & Snacks) to drive the marketing strategy and execution for a fast-growing portfolio that includes noodles, cereals, and snacks.
The successful candidate will play a leading role in shaping portfolio strategy, brand positioning, trade activation, and consumer engagement across Kenya and regional markets. This role requires a commercially driven marketer with creativity and a deep understanding of evolving food trends, consumer lifestyles, and shopper behavior across both value and convenience-driven categories.
Candidates must have relevant FMCG marketing and category experience, with strong exposure to the Food & Snacks sector. Direct experience managing food/snack brands will be a key consideration.

Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Planning
•    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 snack categories to drive penetration and purchase frequency.
•    Translate consumer insights and market trends—including nutrition, convenience, youth snacking, and affordability—into actionable marketing initiatives.
•    Build long-term category growth strategies supported by data and market intelligence.
Brand Management & Communication
•    Lead brand positioning, messaging, and campaign execution across the food portfolio.
•    Develop and execute integrated 360° marketing campaigns spanning ATL, digital, social media, in-store activations, and PR.
•    Ensure consistent brand communication across packaging, advertising, and promotional activities.
•    Partner with creative and media agencies to deliver impactful campaigns that strengthen brand equity.
Trade & Channel Activation
•    Design and execute trade marketing programs that improve visibility, conversion, and distribution across key channels.
•    Collaborate closely with Sales and Route-to-Market teams to ensure effective execution across General Trade, Modern Trade, and Institutional channels.
•    Monitor promotional performance and optimize trade investments based on measurable ROI.
•    Support retailer engagement initiatives that strengthen in-store presence and shopper experience.
Innovation & Portfolio Development
•    Support New Product Development (NPD) from concept creation through commercialization.
•    Work closely with R&D, Supply Chain, and Sales to ensure successful product launches.
•    Contribute to packaging innovation and product differentiation initiatives.
•    Conduct post-launch evaluations and recommend improvements to strengthen future innovation pipelines.
Data & Performance Management
•    Monitor category performance using brand health metrics, sales performance, market share, profitability, and consumer insights.
•    Use analytics to guide pricing, portfolio optimization, and marketing investment decisions.
•    Prepare quarterly business reviews and performance reports for senior leadership.
•    Leverage BI dashboards and market data to identify growth opportunities.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Education
•    Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
•    CIM qualification or MBA is an added advantage.
Experience
•    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, with exposure to East African markets.
•    Demonstrated ability to manage agencies, marketing budgets, and promotional campaigns.
•    Strong analytical, commercial, and execution skills.
Preferred Qualifications
•    Candidates must have relevant FMCG marketing and category experience, with strong exposure to the Food & Snacks sector. Direct experience managing food/snack brands will be a key consideration.
•    Experience in New Product Development (NPD), flavor innovation, and packaging development.
•    Exposure to digital marketing, influencer campaigns, and consumer engagement programs.
•    Familiarity with SAP S/4HANA, BI dashboards, or marketing analytics tools.
What Success Looks Like
•    Delivery of an insight-led category marketing strategy that drives profitable growth.
•    Increased household penetration and purchase frequency across key food categories.
•    Strong and consistent brand visibility across consumer touchpoints.
•    Improved brand awareness, trial, loyalty, and repeat purchase metrics.
•    Sustainable growth in category sales, market share, and profitability.
Ideal Cultural Fit
The ideal candidate will:
•    Demonstrate integrity and accountability in decision-making.
•    Collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
•    Bring an innovative mindset while maintaining strong execution discipline.
•    Thrive in fast-paced, results-oriented environments.
•    Take ownership of initiatives that deliver measurable business impact.
Why Join Our Client?
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the growth of an expanding food and snacks portfolio within a dynamic FMCG environment. You'll play a pivotal role in building strong consumer brands, driving innovation, and delivering impactful marketing strategies that support business growth across Kenya and the wider East African region.