Category Development Analyst

• Contributes to the creation of category strategies in specific departments through the generation and presentation of relevant customer and market data, bringing internal and external sources together to give a holistic view of performance and opportunities.
• Provides periodic reports to Commercial teams to support ongoing strategic planning, and direct action against insight-led opportunities.
• Creates ad hoc customer reports which allow Commercial teams to understand our customers’ behaviour and make best-informed decisions which are shopper focused. 
• Provides analysis of product-level performance across store formats and clusters, directing decision-making for both Master Assortment and product distribution at Range Events.
• Owns the creation and maintenance of Needs Units through the 3* Range Event process, ensuring Needs Units are fit for purpose and reflective of future trends.
• Supports the clustering of stores at 3* Range Events through validation of store clusters using customer data.
• Contributes significantly to the Post-Implementation Review of 3* Range Events, supplying data and insight to assess the success of the event and raising any challenges for necessary action.
• Collaborates with Category Management contacts in our Supplier base to bring external insight and data into the Co-op, building breadth of knowledge across Co-op’s Commercial team.

• Inspirational Communicator – The key to effective analysis is how it is put to use, and in this role the Category Development Analyst will need to present the outputs of reporting in a way which engages the reader/audience, and clearly demonstrates the key data points. The role requires the colleague to seek to understand and listen to questions being asked in order to find solutions, which they are then able to articulate to varying stakeholders.
• Driving Innovation – This role requires the colleague to problem-solve, creating solutions within our data sets to deliver insight which allows us to make customer led decisions. This may require the creation of new reports or processes, which the colleague can share across the team to support broader capability in our category development reporting and analysis.
• Forging Relationships – This role will be required to engage with a variety of stakeholders within the Co-op and in our supplier base. The ability to build trusted connections across a networks will allow the colleague to work through challenges and find solutions in an effective manner. Forging relationships will also allow to colleague to collaborate on analysis to build sophisticated reporting; such as working alongside the Insight & Analytics team.

• Make recommendations to Commercial teams to guide decision making based on the reporting and analysis they are accountable for delivering.
• Manage periodic reporting cycles, evolving the way we generate and present data to make sharing of insight across the commercial team streamlined and effective.
• Drive our technical capabilities with our insight agency partners (Circana, Kantar) by challenging these stakeholders to continuously improve and create solutions which are differentiated for Co-op needs.
• Engage with our supplier base to leverage a broad suite of data and insight which will be used to support strategic planning.
• Significantly input into the planning and review of Range Events, which are core to the commercial success of our Co-op. 

• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and present data in an engaging and meaningful way to various stakeholders of all levels.
• Advanced Excel capability, and the ability to manage large data sets.
• Ability to use insight partner platforms effectively to create insight from data. Understanding of Category Management principles and how Co-op can drive performance through leveraging different shopper measures. 
• Time-management and effective prioritisation of workload in a fast-moving environment. 
• Ability to create and maintain trusted relationships with colleagues, both within and outside of the Co-op business.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate the meaning of data and how it supports our understanding of customer behaviour.
• Driven to take the initiative for learning, furthering the colleague’s own knowledge and understanding.

Accountability

• Professional roles providing expertise and advice, or middle management roles leading operational teams. 
• Manages team delivery in accordance with agreed budgets.

Impact

• As anindividual contributor, provides thought leadership to determine the most effective approach to challenges within own area of expertise.
• Supports and promotes a culture of inclusivity through the actions they take.

Co-operation

• Contributes to short-term planning within the team and collaborates with peers to deliver great work that enables the team to succeed.
• Identifies and shares opportunities to improve the way the Co-op operates, to successfully achieve our vision.