Commercial Category Analyst Own Brand

Commercial Category Analyst (Own Brand) - 12-month contract - Maternity Cover

Role Introduction:

Established in 1992, Applegreen is a leading convenience roadside retailer in the Republic of Ireland, the UK and the US in both large-scale Motorway Service Areas and Travel Plazas, as well as smaller petrol stations. The business has grown to over €4BN in annual revenue, operating 430 Motorway Service Plazas and forecourt sites internationally and employing over 17,000 people.

Applegreen is in a rapid growth phase and to support this ambitious growth, we are seeking to onboard a Commercial Category Analyst (Own Brand) to join our team for a fixed term of 12 months to cover a maternity leave.

This role will form part of the Commercial Food team and reports to Senior Category Manager. The successful candidate will be a confident people person who can fit into Applegreenseamlessly and adopt a hands-on approach to their role.

Key Responsibilities:

· Assume full responsibility for the production, interpretation, and presentation of weekly Own Brand performance reports.

· Own and monitor key Own Brand KPIs including sales, margin, waste, availability, stockholding, and product performance.

· Own the range planning process, using customer, sales and product performance insights to optimise assortment, identify range gaps, rationalise underperforming SKUs and support new product development.

· Develop and maintain space and display plans to maximise sales and margin, while ensuring ranges are practical to execute at store level.

· Manage the forecasting and distribution of products to stores, allocating stock where required to maximise sales opportunities, maintain availability and minimise waste.

· Lead waste reduction initiatives, identifying root causes of waste and implementing improvements across forecasting, ordering, range, allocation, shelf life and store execution.

· Develop, maintain and continuously improve Own Brand SOPs, ensuring clear standards are in place for product handling, merchandising, availability, quality, waste management and operational execution.

· Partner closely with Commercial, Operations & Supply Chain teams to provide commercial insights and recommendations.

· Conduct detailed analysis of brand performance, customer trends, promotional activity, pricing strategies and product mix to identify opportunities for profitable growth.

· Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships internally with key departments and externally with suppliers.

· Stay informed on market and industry trends through competitor analysis and customer insights to ensure the continued competitiveness of our Own Brand offering.

· Support the development and execution of strategic plans at both product and category level.

· Lead and support cross-functional projects, range reviews, new product launches and initiatives that drive commercial performance and operational excellence.

· Implement change, introduce processes and drive efficiencies within the department.

The Candidate should have the following:

Qualifications, experience & skills

· Minimum 4+ years' experience in a Commercial Analyst, Category Analyst, Merchandise Planning, Buying, Food Operations, Trading, or similar Food role.

· Experience within foodservice, QSR, convenience retail, grocery retail, or FMCG environments highly desirable.

· High proficiency in Microsoft Office software, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

· Strong analytical ability with experience manipulating and interpreting large volumes of commercial data.

· Strong understanding of food operations and the key drivers of sales, margin, waste, and availability performance.

· Experience using Power BI or similar reporting tools beneficial.

· SAP experience advantageous.

· Proven ability to influence decision-making through clear and commercially focused recommendations.

· Proven ability to develop strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.

· Excellent presentation and communication skills.

· Energetic and enthusiastic with a desire to achieve success.

Additional key skills & attributes:

· Strong commercial acumen with an understanding of Food to Go market dynamics, category management, and consumer behaviour.

· Ability to identify trends, risks, and opportunities and translate insights into actionable recommendations.

· Strong understanding of KPI performance and the operational drivers that impact store performance.

· Ability to effectively communicate and influence stakeholders at all levels of the business.

· Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

· High attention to detail and accuracy.

· Ability to prioritise workload and perform effectively in a fast-paced environment.

· Strong project management skills with experience delivering business initiatives.

· A collaborative team player who can work effectively across multiple functions.

· Self-starter with a proactive mindset and a focus on continuous improvement.

· Resilient, adaptable, and calm under pressure.

· Highly organised with the ability to manage changing priorities.

· Willing to travel ad hoc if required.