Category & Commercial Strategic Planning Lead

Job Title: Category & Commercial Strategic Planning Lead

Location: Malaysia

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Asia, leading Ice Cream player with €1.2 bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

Unilever Ice Cream is the world’s leading ice cream company, home to a portfolio of iconic brands like Magnum, Calippo, Solero, Festini, Talenti, and Yasso. We're committed to creating innovative products that bring unforgettable moments to our consumers—because, after all, “Life tastes better with ice cream.”

The Ice Cream division at Unilever is preparing to stand on its own, becoming an independent, EUR 8 billion single-category focused company by the end of 2025. This move reflects our belief in the power of our unique frozen footprint, which we see as having huge potential for growth as a pure-play business. Our focus is all about unlocking that potential, driving value for our consumers, customers, employees, and shareholders.

About the Role:

The Category & Commercial Strategic Planning Head is the strategic engine for the category, driving growth by linking brand strategy with commercial execution. You will be the expert on your category's market dynamics, competitive landscape, and price & promotional effectiveness. This role involves leading the integrated business planning cycle, shaping demand forecasts, developing winning go-to-market strategies, and managing the trade investment budget to deliver on both top-line sales and bottom-line profitability. You will work in a highly cross-functional environment, collaborating closely with Brand, Finance, Supply Chain, and Customer Development teams to ensure flawless planning and execution. By championing a high-performance culture, you will develop a team of strategic thinkers and commercial experts to secure our long-term success.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Planning & Commercial Leadership

• Lead the annual Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process by conducting comprehensive 6P analyses to identify key category insights and opportunities.

• Develop the annual Category Development plan, translating brand objectives into a clear commercial strategy and execution roadmap.

• Spearhead the development of Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with key retail partners to drive mutual growth.

• Prepare and deliver compelling presentations for key business processes, including quarterly cascades to the Customer Development (Sales) team and strategic alignment meetings with leadership.

Demand Forecasting & Financial Management

• Drive the demand planning process by developing forward forecasts based on primary/secondary sales data and Nielsen market trends.

• Provide robust analysis and justification for promotional uplifts, ensuring accurate baseline forecasting in partnership with the Demand Planning team.

• Lead the development of Business Cases (BCs) for all trade activities, providing critical inputs on incremental sales (iGSV) and trade spend (iTTS) based on price elasticity and ROI analysis.

• Manage the category's Trade Term Spend (TTS) budget, ensuring expenditure is aligned with the strategy and delivering maximum return on investment.

Go-to-Market & New Product Launch Excellence

• Architect the 360-degree launch plan for all New Product Development (NPD), from initial volume forecasting to post-launch tracking.

• Develop comprehensive promotion strategies, channel-exclusive mechanics, and point-of-sale activation plans, ensuring alignment with above-the-line media.

• Manage the end-to-end process for promotional & brand activation support

• Proactively manage the NPD listing process with Customer Business Development team, developing contingency plans to overcome any retailer objections.

Market Intelligence & Performance Analysis

• Serve as the category expert on competitor activity, utilizing Nielsen data and market intelligence to track and analyze competitor promotions, pricing, and market share.

• Deliver monthly analysis on sales performance (GSV), providing clear commentary on drivers of over or under-performance against the forecast.

• Monitor the strategic price index and be agile to design response plans to maintain competitiveness and defend market share.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of customer strategic planning managers, fostering excellence in brand management and commercial planning.

• Recruit and nurture talent, building a future-fit organization through effective coaching, performance management, and career development.

• Cultivate a culture of high performance and engagement, inspiring the team to deliver exceptional business results.

STAKEHOLDERS (INTERNAL &EXTERNAL):

Internal 

• Brand Marketing

• Customer Business Development

• Finance

• CMI (consumer market insight)

• R&D & RA

• Supply Chain

External 

• Distributors

• Retailers

• Nielsen / Kantar

• Agencies

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or related field

• A minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience in the FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) industry is essential.

• Proven experience in Trade Marketing / Category Management / Customer/Channel Development / Sales or Key Account Management / Brand Management with strong commercial exposure

Desirable Experience/Skill/Knowledge:

Technical & Analytical Capabilities

• Data Analysis: Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to interpret market data, internal sales data (primary/secondary), and shopper insights to make informed recommendations.

• Financial Acumen: Solid commercial understanding with experience in budget management (specifically trade spend/TTS), business case development, pricing analysis, and understanding a product's P&L

• Demand Forecasting: Proficiency in the fundamentals of sales forecasting and demand planning, including understanding base sales and promotional uplifts.

• Advanced Excel: Essential proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, v-lookups, charting, and building complex formulas for data analysis

• Presentation Skills: Strong ability to use Microsoft PowerPoint to synthesize complex information into clear, persuasive, and professional presentations for various audiences.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: The ability to see the bigger picture, connect disparate data points, and translate insights into actionable, long-term category and channel strategies.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills. A proven ability to work with and influence diverse teams, including Brand, Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain, to achieve common goals.

• Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills. Must be able to articulate complex ideas clearly, justify recommendations logically, and present confidently to both internal leadership and external retail partners.

• Project Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously—from new product launches to promotional campaigns—while adhering to strict timelines.

• Problem-Solving: A proactive and results-oriented mindset with the ability to identify potential issues, analyze root causes, and develop effective solutions independently.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV, latest EoY and a motivation letter.  If you have been informed that you are at risk of redundancy, please make sure to tick this box during your application. Please also attach your letter of redundancy to the application.

Your application will be reviewed against our requirements, and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to applyor other positions.

Disclaimer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.