Customer Category Manager, International Family Care & Professional
Location: Cape Town
Closing date: 14th May 2026
Kimberly Clark's International Family Care & Professional business — an organization rooted in purpose and innovation that has built a legacy with global impact. As Kimberly-Clark forms a strategic partnership with Suzano to create a world-class international tissue and professional products company, this role is proposed to transfer to the new venture once the transaction closes, anticipated in mid-2026, subject to consultation and other applicable legal requirements. This is a rare opportunity to help shape a new global leader backed by two industry powerhouses. You’ll be part of a high-potential business that combines Kimberly-Clark’s iconic brands and commercial excellence with Suzano’s industrial and sustainability leadership.
You’re not the person who will settle for just any role. Neither are we. Because we’re out to create Better Care for a Better World, and that takes a certain kind of person and teams who care about making a difference. Here, you’ll bring your professional expertise, talent, and drive to building and managing our portfolio of iconic, ground-breaking brands. In this role, you’ll help us deliver better care for billions of people around the world. It starts with YOU.
The purpose of the Customer Category Manager role is:
The Customer Category Manager is an integral member of the IFP Modern Trade Commercial team within the Sales function. This Member will make a strong contribution to a high performing Commercial team and culture within KC. They will be pivotal in leading the business to build category growth with key retail partners where they will act with exclusivity and a high degree of confidentiality.
You will be responsible for understanding what is happening in the Category within Modern Retail Customers. You will be required to leverage the insights to help develop clear category of stories and plans for the customers, and you will work closely with the National Category Manager.
KEY RESPONSIBILITES:
STRATEGY:
External Focus: Lead the execution of the 12 months Category Plan, grounded in insights and validated by Retailer engagement. Build expertise in how the retailer works on category development and helps educate KC SA on the best way to dovetail our plans into the category objectives. This will come through a clear articulation of the category growth drivers that underpin the plan.
Internal Focus: Forges strong Retailer partnerships from a Category perspective so KC SA is seen as a thought leader in this key space. Support the development of the Category Review story and key Customer engagement meetings.
Work with the National Category Manager, RGM lead and customer teams to help present key NPI that fit within the context of what the Retailer is trying to achieve with their category vision. Contribute to the achievement of KC SA’s Annual Plan, by executing the Y1 category plan with the Customer & Marketing Teams.
FINANCIAL:
Tactical & Strategic Pricing
Lead the development of shelf guidelines with a 12-month focus to achieve the categories growth objectives
Partner with RGM, National Category & Marketing teams on Strategic Category Plans across both the short and long-term.
CUSTOMER / CONSUMER:
Objective Category Expert to the Retailer via insights and objectivity and engaging with the retailers on the category plan and tailoring it to the retailer’s specific strategic requirements.
Develop a deeper level of trust and partnership with our key retailers and be able to shape and inform KC SAs category and brand plans.
Within this, a key work stream is to lead retailer category reviews on a regular cadence, linking back to the core category drivers and action plan.
PEOPLE:
Ensure own behaviours are consistent with our One K-C Behaviours.
Make an active contribution to the team environment, through sharing knowledge and collaborating with others to build an engaged workplace.
Ensure commitment and clear understanding of KC policies and procedures and always adhere to them.
About Us
Huggies®. Kleenex®. Cottonelle®. Scott®. Kotex®. Poise®. Depend®. Kimberly-Clark Professional®. You already know our legendary brands—and so does the rest of the world. In fact, millions of people use Kimberly-Clark products every day. We know these amazing Kimberly-Clark products wouldn’t exist without talented professionals, like you.
At Kimberly-Clark, you’ll be part of the best team committed to driving innovation, growth and impact. We’re founded on more than 150 years of market leadership, and we’re always looking for new and better ways to perform – so there’s your open door of opportunity. It’s all here for you at Kimberly-Clark.
Led by Purpose. Driven by You.
About You
You perform at the highest level possible, and you appreciate a performance culture fueled by authentic caring. You want to be part of a company actively dedicated to sustainability, inclusion, wellbeing, and career development.
You love what you do, especially when the work you do makes a difference. At Kimberly-Clark, we’re constantly exploring new ideas on how, when, and where we can best achieve results. When you join our team, you’ll experience Flex That Works: flexible (hybrid) work arrangements that empower you to have purposeful time in the office and partner with your leader to make flexibility work for both you and the business.
In one of our professional roles, you’ll focus on winning with consumers and the market, while putting safety, mutual respect, and human dignity at the center.
To succeed in this role, you will need the following:
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Degree / Diploma or equivalent advantageous
Minimum 3 years’ business experience in marketing, customer or category management (ideally worked in 2 of those fields)
Proven analytical skills – able to pull the data detail and zoom out of the detail to assess the big picture.
Third party Data such as customers data platforms exposure or experience & with Nielsen platforms and data.
Highly effective communicator with strong presentation skills – ability to take complex data and modify into simple way of storytelling.
Advanced Excel & PowerPoint
Proven ability to work collaboratively in team-based environment, and comfortable achieving through others.
Added advantage:
Customer facing experience.
Space management experience.
Shopper research
Financial acumen
Total Benefits
Here are just a few of the benefits you’d enjoy working in this role for Kimberly-Clark. For a complete overview, see www.mykcbenefits.com.
South Africa:
As part of your Total Rewards package, you will be entitled to a comprehensive set of benefits. Some of these are listed below:
Reward and recognition – to attract and retain the best talent we offer competitive pay. We reward excellence and high performance through annual performance-related increases and employee recognition awards.
Great support for good health – we value good health, and to support you, you will have various options for medical insurance with a 50% employer contribution and Gap cover.
Planning for the future – Being a member of the Provident fund will provide you with savings to provide an income after retirement.
Protection for you and your family in case of illness or injury – for peace of mind you will have Life cover, disability insurance and Funeral benefit.
Learning and growth – our employees value the opportunities for professional and personal growth that we offer. A wide range of training is available with Study bursaries for external courses and an opportunity to apply for School fee bursaries for your children
Employee Wellbeing – our Thrive program covers Physical, Emotional, Mental and Financial wellbeing to help you be at your best, and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers professional resources and tools to support you and your family.
Time off – to help you manage your work life balance and cater for different stages of life, we offer attractive annual leave, and policies to cover maternity, paternity, adoption, and parental leave.
Other – you will be able to enjoy discounted company products. Subsidized canteen meals and uniforms are provided at our mill locations.
To Be Considered
Click the Apply button and complete the online application process. A member of our recruiting team will review your application and follow up if you seem like a great fit for this role.
In the meantime, please check out the careers website.
And finally, the fine print….
This role will be part of Kimberly Clark's International Family Care and Professional (IFP) business—an organization rooted in purpose and innovation that has built a legacy with global impact. As Kimberly-Clark forms a strategic partnership with Suzano to create a world-class international tissue and professional products company, this role is proposed to transfer to the new venture once the transaction closes, anticipated in mid-2026, subject to consultation and other applicable legal requirements. This is a rare opportunity to help shape a new global leader backed by two industry powerhouses. You’ll be part of a high-potential business that combines Kimberly-Clark’s iconic brands and commercial excellence with Suzano’s industrial and sustainability leadership.
For Kimberly-Clark to grow and prosper, we must be an inclusive organization that applies the diverse experiences and passions of its team members to brands that make life better for people all around the world. We actively seek to build a workforce that reflects the experiences of our consumers. When you bring your original thinking to Kimberly-Clark, you fuel the continued success of our enterprise. We are a committed equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for this position.
Employment is subject to relevant background checks carried out in South Africa.
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