Category Manager (m/f/d)

As a medium-sized family business, RAPS is firmly rooted in the Kulmbach region. At our headquarter, we produce liquid and spreadable seasonings as well as functional ingredients. The company-wide service departments and our group-wide development are also located in Kulmbach. Become part of the RAPS family and benefit from the advantages of a medium-sized company combined with the advantages of an international company.

Your responsibilities:

  • You will assume strategic and holistic responsibility for defined product categories and market segments and manage them throughout the entire product lifecycle  
  • You will analyze and interpret market, competitive, and sales data and use this information to derive well-founded recommendations for growth and portfolio development  
  • You will actively drive the further development and optimization of the product and assortment portfolio, including innovation management, market launches, relaunches, and phase-out strategies  
  • You will identify market potential, trends, and areas for innovation and initiate corresponding development projects in close collaboration with R&D  
  • You develop well-founded product and marketing concepts (positioning, value propositions, target customers, profitability)  
  • You shape the strategic development of business areas and product groups, thereby making a key contribution to the company’s growth  
  • You work closely with Sales, Marketing, and other stakeholders to ensure consistent, market-oriented management of product categories  
  • You support Marketing with campaigns and Sales with customer-specific projects, presentations, and product launches  
  • You prepare decision-making frameworks for pricing, distribution, and sales strategies and actively participate in their implementation  
  • You conduct training sessions, workshops, and events and ensure clear internal and external product communication 

Requirements for the role:

  • A bachelor’s degree in food science (or food technology) or, alternatively, in business administration with a focus on marketing or product management 
  • Several years of experience in B2B product management or category management within the food industry  
  • Solid technical and business knowledge, as well as a keen interest in trends, markets, and innovations  
  • Experience in strategic portfolio and product range management as well as innovation management
  • Strong analytical skills and confidence in working with market and company metrics
  • Proficiency in using marketing and project management tools 
  • Profound English skills  
  • Strong IT skills, excellent communication skills, and a confident demeanor 

How you will be rewarded:

  • Family business - At RAPS, the values of community and cohesion take center stage. The family atmosphere creates a working environment in which every employee feels valued and supported. The flat hierarchies make it possible to respond quickly to employees' concerns and ideas.
  • Regionality - Our company attaches great importance to its regional roots and emphasizes this through ongoing local investment projects and the creation of local jobs.
  • Internationality - Our international business relationships enable you to work in a global environment and gain intercultural experience.
  • Benefits - In addition to a competitive salary, you will have 30 vacation days and the opportunity to work partly from home. You will have access to training to continuously develop your skills.
  • Success - As a leader in the ingredients industry, we have in-depth expertise and innovative technologies that set us apart from the competition.
  • Growth - RAPS' success story of over 100 years is based on steady growth. This creates a dynamic and future-oriented working environment combined with a variety of career opportunities. 

Contact:

Are you the right candidate (m/f/d)? Then we are looking forward to receive your application. Please send it by e-mail to personal@raps.com. Ms. Alexandra Dressel will be happy to provide you with further details on +49 9221 807-6089.

RAPS GmbH & Co. KG
Adalbert-Raps-Str. 1
95326 Kulmbach
personal@raps.com
www.raps.com