Reporting to: Managing Executive: Dairy and Convenience Meals

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Job Overview/Role Purpose:

The Category Executive is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and carries full accountability for the sustainable growth, profitability and long-term competitiveness of the Dairy Category. This role is responsible for leading a significant category with full Profit & Loss accountability, ensuring the delivery of strategic, commercial and financial objectives while contributing to the overall success of the Libstar Group.

As an Executive Team member, the incumbent shares collective responsibility for the leadership, governance and performance of the business, contributing to strategy, capital allocation, organisational capability, risk management and long-term value creation.

The role requires balancing short-term commercial delivery with long-term strategic growth, influencing cross-functional teams across Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Finance, Procurement, Quality and Human Resources to deliver sustainable shareholder value. The Category Executive represents the business at the highest level with customers, suppliers, industry bodies and internal stakeholders, influencing strategic decisions that shape the future direction of the Dairy Category.

The ideal candidate will have in depth experience of the FMCG industry, possessing a deep understanding of the industry dynamics, trends, and best practices as they relate to the relevant channels and categories.

Executive Accoutability:

The Category Executive is expected to:

• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, contributing to the overall leadership and governance of the organisation.
• Accept collective accountability for the performance and sustainability of the entire business.
• Develop and execute long-term strategic plans that create sustainable competitive advantage.
• Make complex commercial decisions involving significant financial investment, risk and organisational impact.
• Champion organisational culture, values and leadership capability across the business.
• Drive collaboration across all business functions to optimise company-wide performance rather than individual departmental outcomes.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with major customers, suppliers, shareholders and external stakeholders.
• Ensure the business consistently delivers sustainable growth in revenue, profitability, cash generation and return on investment.

Duties:

Category Management and Strategy Development

• Develop and implement short, medium and long-term strategic initiatives to optimise operational efficiency and effectiveness, aligned with the company’s objectives and vision – actively participate in driving the Libstar North Star.
• Assume full ownership of developing and delivering on the Dairy category budget.
• Utilise in-depth knowledge of FMCG categories to identify market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscape. Analyse data and customer insights to recommend strategic decisions and drive innovation within the category.
• Develop and implement risk management strategies to mitigate potential business risks while ensuring business continuity.
• Facilitate the integration process when new business units or teams are merged into the organisation. Coordinate with various stakeholders, including channel and functional heads, to ensure a smooth transition. Support and guide teams during the integration phase to minimise disruptions and maximise productivity.
• Continuously assess market and industry trends for potential business opportunities. Analyse market data, customer feedback, and competitor intelligence to identify gaps and areas for growth. Collaborate with relevant teams to develop strategies for capitalising on these opportunities and expanding the business.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth coordination across the business units. Act as a liaison between sub-category leaders and Libstar head office, encouraging effective communication and problem-solving.
• Foster trusted working relationships with customers and stakeholders; build the Dairy category businesses to a point where customers approach Libstar/Lancewood for category, brand and innovation solutions.

Process Improvement

• Continuously review and enhance operational processes, identifying areas for improvement and implementing best practices.
• Consider the benefits of rationalising products and brands as required.

Financial Management

• Assume full ownership and accountability for the Category Profit & Loss statement, including Revenue, Gross Profit, EBITDA, Working Capital, Cash Flow, Capital Investment, Return on Capital Employed and Market Share. Drive sustainable profitable growth while optimising long-term shareholder value.

Product Portfolio Management

• Collaborate with product development teams to enhance and expand the product portfolio.
• Ensure product offerings are competitive, meet consumer needs, and comply with regulatory standards.

Market Analysis and Expansion

• Conduct market research to identify consumer trends, preferences, and competitive landscape.
• Develop and implement strategies to expand market share and reach new customer segments.

Leadership & Management

• Provide strong leadership, fostering a culture of collaboration, excellence, and continuous improvement. Set clear goals and objectives, coach and mentor team members, and ensure resource allocation is optimal.
• Focus on building and nurturing high-performing and agile teams. Provide support, guidance, and resources to enable teams to achieve their goals and deliver exceptional results. Foster a supportive and motivating environment that encourages individual growth and development.
• Track and analyse key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess performance. Generate regular reports and insights, identifying areas of success and opportunities for improvement, and present findings to senior management.

Customer and Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key customers, retailers, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the division in negotiations, partnerships, and industry events.

Risk Management

• Identify and assess potential risks to the division’s success.
• Implement effective risk mitigation strategies to safeguard the company’s interests.

Developing Culture and Values

• Promote and sustain a positive and inclusive organisational culture. Help define and communicate the company’s values, ensuring that they are aligned with its vision and goals.
• Encourage knowledge-sharing, cross-functional communication, and cooperation, ensuring that information flows freely across the organisation. Create platforms or initiatives that promote teamwork and shared goals.
• Encourage a culture of innovation and creativity within the organisation.

Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Management, Supply Chain Management or
  equivalent)
• Post graduate qualification in relevant field (e.g., Business Management, Supply Chain Management
  or equivalent) will be advantageous.

Professional Experience:

• 15+ years’ work experience in FMCG Industry
• 8+ years’ senior management experience in the FMCG industry
• Experience in Dairy will be advantageous
• Demonstrable experience working with internal and external stakeholders
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of FMCG categories, market dynamics, and trends
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions
• Excellent leadership and team management abilities, with a focus on fostering collaboration and driving performance
• Proficiency in using relevant software and tools
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with cross-functional teams and senior management.
• Demonstrated success in driving revenue growth, market share expansion, and operational
  excellence.

Personal Profile: Proven Knowledge, skills and attitude:

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to achieve targets in a dynamic and competitive business environment
• Strong leadership qualities including the ability to maintain a high performing and engaged team
• Ability to build and nurture trust with teams, customers and suppliers
• Effective allocation of company resources including the ability to coordinate a team with multiple components
• Strong decision-making ability
• Strategic and commercial thinking
• Experience implementing cost-saving methods and improving operational efficiency
• Forward-thinking, pro-active planner
• Ability to communicate in a clear and confident manner
• Ability to illicit cooperation from teams, management and external stakeholders
• Experience building and cultivating effective working relationships with multiple stakeholders (internal & external)
• Experience building and executing a Company and/or Category strategy
• Effective conflict management skills
• Strong business acumen and business planning skills
• Analytical thinker and problem solver
• Innovative thinker
• Emotionally resilient and able to manage a pressured working environment
• Driver’s license and own transport

Application:

Kindly note that all applications should be submitted to Robyn Manuel via email at robyn.manuel@lancewood.co.za
Application Deadline: 7 August 2026
If you have not received a response within four weeks of the closing date for applications, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

To consider any application for employment, we will have to process your personal information. The Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), provides that when one processes another’s personal information, such collection, retention, dissemination and use of that person’s personal information must be done in a lawful and transparent manner.

To give effect to the above, we are required to provide you with information regarding the processing of your personal information. This information is recorded under the HR Processing Notice, which can be accessed and viewed on the Company website at https://www.libstar.co.za/legal/.