(Senior) Category Manager (m/w/d)

At Clarios, we are producing the world's best batteries, essential for the evolving future of transportation. Our advanced, low-voltage batteries and smart solutions power nearly every type of vehicle and are found in 1 of 3 cars on the road today. Ready to direct your talent and coordination expertise towards shaping the future of our global standards at Clarios? Then take on the challenge and become part of our Aftermarket team!

Power your future with Clarios and explore the possibilities with us.

As (Senior) Category Manager (m/f/d), under the general supervision of the Director Marketing, you will be responsible to further develop the newly established category management function. As the to-be expert of Clarios product and brand offering, you will plan and lead line reviews with customers all around Europe, leveraging consumer trends, market analytics, financial targets, and customer needs, to drive sales and margin growth. By delivering in-depth market and consumer analyses, you will develop and recommend actionable strategies and insights to enhance customer performance, build strong customer relationships, support internal teams, ensure accurate data maintenance, reporting, and establish standardized category management processes.

What you will do

As (Senior) Category Manager (m/f/d), your responsibilities will include:

• Conducting comprehensive product and brand line reviews with assigned customers, including assortment recommendations, segment trend performance analysis, and development of strategies and tactics to drive sales and margin growth for both customers and Clarios.
• Creating and analyzing, market and consumer research transforming complex information into clear, actionable insights to support data-driven decision-making.
• Building and maintaining strong, long-term relationships with customers, driving customer satisfaction.
• Accurately maintaining and managing databases containing sales data and item attribute information.
• Establish standardized and scalable category management processes to meet evolving strategic needs.
• Delivering ad hoc reporting and analytical support as required by the business.
• Supporting internal account teams with objective, data-driven recommendations based on market, industry, consumer, and customer insights.
• Managing multiple projects simultaneously, balancing reporting and analytics while flexibly adjusting priorities in line with business needs and opportunities.

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Market Research, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in Category Management, ideally within a retail or automotive environment.
• Strong analytical capabilities with proven experience in working with data from multiple sources and translating insights into actionable strategies.
• Solid experience in strategy development and commercial decision-making.
• High attention to detail combined with strong problem-solving and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to clearly convey insights to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently with strong time management, prioritization, and follow-through skills.
• Creative, solution-oriented mindset with the ability to think outside the box.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and PowerPoint for analysis, reporting, and presentations. Basic capabilities in Power BI or AI agents generation are an advantage.
• Willingness to travel up to 10–15% as required.
• Fluent in English, German language skills are a plus.

The position will be based in our Clarios EMEA office in Hannover, Germany.

As a technology leader with strong brands (i.e. VARTA® and OPTIMA®), Clarios notably lives on the creativity, capability and satisfaction of its employees. Therefore, we offer people with drive and power many good reasons to join us:

• Exciting professional tasks and challenges in a diverse international future-oriented environment with strong commitment to integrity, values, social engagement, and sustainability.
  
• Arrange your working hours and breaks flexible via our flexible working hours model and combine your professional and private life even better according to our above average number of vacation days, mobile work policy and company kindergarten.
  
• A competitive remuneration package, including additional payments as well as company pension scheme.
  
• Your well-being is very important to us: Take advantage of our preventive health care offers such as fitness center, physiotherapist, modern office environment, healthy canteen, team and company events or hobby clubs.
  
• Stay fit whilst at the same time positively contributing to our environment: Lease your company bike.
  
• Our well-advanced onboarding process and buddy program supports you to quickly grow into the position and team. By using the offering in our Learning Academy, LinkedIn Learning and EMEA Mentoring Program you will be able to further grow professionally and personally.
  
• Last, but not least we support you in relocating and finding an apartment in your work location, if applicable and depending on individual factors.

To all recruitment agencies: Clarios does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Clarios employees or any other company location. Clarios is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.Clarios, LLC is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, please view EEO is the Law, EEO is the Law (supplement), and Pay Transparency Non-discrimination. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please email Special.Accommodations@Clarios.com.>A Note to Job Applicants: please be aware of scams being perpetrated through the Internet and social media platforms. Clarios will never require a job applicant to pay money as part of the application or hiring process.

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