Careers: Tesco leads the category trend - Tesco’s replacement of its trading directors with marketing focused category managers (Marketing, November 20) will see the UK’s leading supermarket head a new retail trend, writes HARRIET MARSH

Tesco is appointing up to 30 new category managers to replace 12

trading directors who are to be re-deployed across the company.

The retailer is not alone in its decision. Kwik Save is introducing

category management and Safeway and Sainsbury are also considering a

similar move.

Category management is not new. Many of the UK’s leading manufacturers -

including Procter & Gamble and Unilever - have already introduced a

layer of category managers. In the manufacturing context, the job

involves developing a specialist knowledge of the marketplace and then

targeting retailers to influence the dynamics of that category.

The need for the retailers to develop their own perspective has now

motivated Tesco to develop a similar management layer.

However, category management in the retail sector is actually something

of a misnomer, according to the Lloyd Group’s chief executive, David

Pakeman.

’In the retail sector, customer management is born out of the buying and

procurement side,’ he said.

Although the job is likely to vary by company, retail category

management is generally likely to involve a variety of disciplines, from

market research to ensuring an efficient supply chain, to buying and

cost management.

For marketers keen to learn new skills in the retail arena, category

management may provide a good opportunity.

While retail experience is obviously preferable in candidates for such

jobs, some recruitment consultants believe trade marketers, brand

managers and management consultants would bring relevant skills to the

job.

’It is not designed to add a management layer but to make sure the

commercial focus of the company is more clearly defined,’ says Pakeman.

’It’s about creating a more efficient long-term relationship with

suppliers.’

This article was first published on Marketing