Category Lead - Kids

We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Category Manager Kids Portfolio to lead the strategy, growth, and profitability of the Kids category. The role requires deep understanding of child-focused consumer behavior, product innovation, portfolio management, and trade execution within the FMCG ecosystem.

The ideal candidate must have hands-on experience managing Kids-focused FMCG categories (e.g., baby care, kids nutrition, kids personal care, kids snacks, etc.).

Key Responsibilities:

1. Category Strategy & Growth

- Develop and execute the overall category strategy for the Kids portfolio.

- Drive topline growth, market share, and profitability.

- Identify white spaces and innovation opportunities within the category.

- Monitor category trends, competitor activity, and consumer insights.

2. P&L Management

- Own and manage the complete category P&L.

- Drive revenue growth while maintaining healthy gross margins.

- Optimize pricing, trade spends, and promotional investments.

- Track SKU-wise performance and rationalize portfolio where required.

3. Product Development & Innovation

- Lead new product development initiatives in collaboration with R&D.

- Conceptualize packaging, positioning, and communication tailored to kids & parents.

- Manage product lifecycle from launch to scale-up.

- Ensure regulatory compliance specific to kids' products.

4. Consumer & Market Insights

- Deeply understand buying behavior of parents and children.

- Leverage data to identify growth drivers and demand patterns.

- Conduct market visits and trade audits to identify execution gaps.

5. Trade & Channel Execution

- Work closely with Sales and Trade Marketing teams for effective execution.

- Develop channel-specific strategies (GT, MT, E-commerce).

- Plan and execute seasonal campaigns and promotions.

- Monitor distribution, availability, and shelf visibility.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Collaborate with Supply Chain for demand planning and inventory optimization.

- Align with Marketing for ATL/BTL campaigns and digital initiatives.

- Coordinate with Finance on forecasting and budget management.

Key Requirements:

- 5 to 10+ years of experience in FMCG category management or brand management.

- Mandatory experience in Kids category (baby care, kids food/nutrition, kids personal care, etc.).

- Strong understanding of category analytics and retail dynamics.

- Proven experience managing P&L and driving profitable growth.

- Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.

- MBA preferred.