Category Product Manager - Taste & Sugar Reduction

JOB SUMMARY

The Category Product Manager – Taste & Sugar Reduction is responsible for leading the strategy, performance, and growth of the Taste & Sugar Reduction category within the global ingredients’ portfolio. This role has end-to-end accountability for category performance, including revenue, margin, and portfolio optimization. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy, leading category strategy and execution while identifying opportunities to expand, optimize, and evolve the portfolio.

The role serves as the subject matter expert for Taste & Sugar Reduction, leveraging market insights, customer engagement, and cross-functional collaboration to identify opportunities and drive business growth. The Category Product Manager works closely with sales, R&D, marketing, and supply chain to ensure the portfolio remains competitive, relevant, and aligned with customer and market needs.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Category Leadership & Growth

• Own and execute the global strategy for your category, with full accountability for revenue and margin growth

• Identify and unlock new opportunities across customers, applications, and markets

• Treat the category as a business, making decisions on where to invest, grow, or exit

Customer & Commercial Engagement

• Spend significant time with customers, understanding their formulation challenges and business needs

• Act as a trusted advisor, translating customer insight into commercially viable solutions

• Partner closely with Sales to build pipeline, win business, and strengthen key accounts

Portfolio Ownership

• Own the full product lifecycle: innovation, optimization, and rationalization

• Identify gaps in the portfolio and lead initiatives to close them

• Ensure offerings remain competitive, relevant, and aligned with market trends (e.g., sugar reduction, taste modulation)

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work across R&D, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Procurement to bring ideas to life

• Lead category reviews and align internal teams around priorities and performance

• Serve as the central point of truth for your category across the business

Performance & Insight

• Track and drive performance across revenue, margin, and market share

• Use market, customer, and internal data to continuously refine strategy

Education & Training

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Food Science, Chemistry, or a related field (or equivalent industry experience)

• Typically 5 years’ experience within the B2B food ingredients, flavors, or adjacent industry

• Proven experience in a commercial, product, or category-focused role, with exposure to revenue and margin accountability

• Demonstrated ownership of a product or category portfolio, including driving growth initiatives

• Experience working directly with customers and supporting commercial or sales activities

• Familiarity with sweeteners, sugar reduction, taste solutions, or related ingredient systems preferred

• Experience operating in a cross-functional, matrix environment with the ability to lead initiatives independently

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

• Experience in B2B food ingredients, flavors, or related industries

• Proven track record of owning and growing a product or category portfolio

• Strong commercial mindset with the ability to translate market insight into action

• Comfortable working directly with customers and supporting sales conversations

• Familiarity with sweeteners, sugar reduction, taste solutions, or adjacent systems

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Ability to operate independently and lead initiatives with minimal direction

• Strong influencing skills in a cross-functional, matrix environment

• Clear category strategy with measurable growth outcomes

• Strong customer relationships driving new opportunities

• A focused, competitive portfolio aligned to market needs

• Cross-functional alignment and momentum behind key initiatives

Environment: Open Office – typical spacious room, desks close together. Physical Factors: • Primarily sedentary role involving extended periods of sitting and computer use

• Frequent verbal communication in person, via phone, and virtual platforms

• Regular travel to customer sites, which may include standing for extended periods during meetings, site visits, or product discussions

• Ability to move between office, laboratory, and customer environments as needed

• Occasional lifting of materials or samples up to 15–20 pounds

Travel: Up to 60% in the region