How to hire a category manager, marketing

How to hire a category manager, marketing, step by step

Here's a step-by-step category manager, marketing hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a category manager, marketing job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new category manager, marketing
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the category manager, marketing you need to hire. Certain category manager, marketing roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a category manager, marketing to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a category manager, marketing that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of category manager, marketing salaries for various roles:

   Type of Category Manager, Marketing	Description	Hourly rate
   Category Manager, Marketing	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.	$37-66
   Marketing Manager/Project Manager	A marketing manager/project manager oversees a company's marketing programs and projects, aiming to attract more customers and increase the brand value of a business, product, or service. They primarily perform market research and assessments to identify marketing trends and opportunities, gather and analyze data to generate business leads, study the consumer and competitors in the industry, and identify the weaknesses and strengths of existing marketing projects, utilizing information to enhance operations... Show more	$26-52
   Marketing And Operations Manager	A marketing and operations manager handles the marketing program and campaigns of an organization. Marketing and operations managers plan and create production process management, data and analytics, brand compliance, and technology infrastructure... Show more	$34-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Digital Marketing
   • Project Management
   • Strategic Sourcing
   • Channel Marketing
   • Integrated Marketing
   • Market Research
   • Market Trends
   • Marketing Campaigns
   • CRM
   • Consumer Insights
   • SEO
   • Marketing Mix
   • Category Management
   • Cost Savings

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage, allocate, and evaluate all marketing budgets, ROI, and individual account performance reporting.
   • Direct and manage clean label starch launch campaigns across NOAM, EMEA, and ASPAC, reporting on monthly ROI.
   • Develop and manage marketing programs and partner integration for industry marketing in government, healthcare and education markets.
   • Coordinate production including copywriting, list buying, and working with designers and printers.
   • Utilize Nielsen and internal sales indicators to analyze category trends to develop customer actionable strategies for impact against retail channels.
   • Procure raw material, MRO and packaging materials to meet production requirements for several production facilities international and domestic.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your category manager, marketing job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A category manager, marketing salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, category managers, marketing' average salary in kansas is 35% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level category managers, marketing earn 43% less than senior-level category managers, marketing.
   • Certifications. A category manager, marketing with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a category manager, marketing's salary.

   Average category manager, marketing salary

   $104,562yearly

   $50.27 hourly rate

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   Entry-level category manager, marketing salary

   $79,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing a category manager, marketing job description

   A good category manager, marketing job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a category manager, marketing job description:

   Category manager, marketing job description example

   Reporting to a Director in Category Marketing, you will manage product categories within an assigned Foodservice portfolio segment, including iconic brands such as Gardein, Tennessee Pride, Udi's and a host of other retail brands. You will develop and implement marketing plans including marketing strategy, sales coordination, pricing activities and general project management to support the category.
   You Will:
   Manage P&L for your assigned categories to attain our annual and long range financial goals Conduct Competitive and Industry AnalysisDrive customer-focused Category Management projects for assigned categories Develop category marketing collateral and promotions Develop insights/rationale and lead development of category innovation Assist the Senior Director with all elements of category management to include: pricing activities/trade spending, forecasting, analytical support, A&P management, RQI initiatives, planning, and supply chain alignment Develop and implement growth strategies Coordinate teams on programs to achieve our goals
   
   You Bring:
   Bachelor's Degree required; or Master's Degree5+ years related experience in Foodservice/CPG industryP&L management experience Experience conducting detailed business analysis and making recommendations for lines of business Project management experience, including leading project teams Industry knowledge of the Foodservice syndicated services available Understanding of essential Foodservice marketing programs including promotions and collateral
   
   Our Modern Workplace:
   Conagra's culture of collaboration enhances our ability to meet critical business goals, deliver value to customers and consumers and provide you with the flexibility you need to achieve a better work-life balance. We carefully consider each role and how often each team member needs to collaborate in-person. This position requires you work from our Chicago office 3 days a week.
   
   #LI-PM1
   #LI-Hybrid
   #LI-MSL
   
   Our Benefits:
   
   We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:
   Health: Medical, dental and vision insurance, company-paid life, accident and disability insurance Wealth: great pay, incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan Growth: online courses, virtual and classroom development experiences Balance: paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role)
   
   Our Company:
   
   Conagra Brands is one of North America's leading branded food companies. We have a rich heritage of making great food, and a team that's passionate about innovation and growth. Conagra offers choices for every occasion through iconic brands, such as Birds Eye , Marie Callender's , Banquet , Healthy Choice , Slim Jim , Reddi-wip , and Vlasic , and emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP , Duke's , Earth Balance , Gardein , and Frontera .
   We pride ourselves on having the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in the food industry. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.
   
   Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right category manager, marketing for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with category managers, marketing they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit category managers, marketing who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your category manager, marketing job on Zippia to find and attract quality category manager, marketing candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with category manager, marketing candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new category manager, marketing

   Once you've selected the best category manager, marketing candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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