Global Category Development Manager

HOYA is one of the largest eyeglass lens manufacturers in the world. Now, the company’s clear vision is to expand their customer category by working closely with them to learn their specific needs. HOYA will translate big data into compelling insights, decks and targeted stories to sell more products. The Global Category Development Manager will play a pivotal role in realizing HOYA’M’s new customer-centric strategy. 

About HOYA

While many eyeglass wearers use HOYA lenses every day, often they’re completely unaware of it. This aligns with the humble, no-nonsense culture of this Japanese-origin company, where product and quality take precedence. With their vast wealth of knowledge and expertise, HOYA provides eye care specialists with support to deliver the best service to their customers and patients. For more than eighty years, they have been dedicated to safeguarding and assisting eyeglass wearers throughout their lives and their changing eye care needs. HOYA employs over 35,000 people worldwide, and operates in 160 offices and subsidiaries. There are 150 employees based in the company’s global hub, located in Amsterdam.

Customer & Shopper Marketing Team
The new Global Customer and Shopper Marketing team plays a pivotal role in HOYA’s ongoing pursuit to maintain its leadership position in the eye care industry. This team operates within the Global Marketing department, reports directly to the CMO, and maintains a close collaboration with Sales colleagues. Their goal is to promote category growth by providing customers – mainly independent opticians and retail chains – with insights into both category and shopper behaviors. This way, they can identify new and growth opportunities to focus on the most effective strategies to capitalize on. This team translates global company strategies into meeting highly personalized customer needs, and is a collaborative effort between global teams, like brand, category and communications, as well as local marketing and sales teams in the many markets where HOYA is active.

Vacancy: Global Category Development Manager

HOYA’s new strategy will put customers and shoppers on center stage. For the Global Category Development Manager, this customer-centric approach will be the foundation of everything they do. Their vision is to ensure that all of HOYA’s customers have a comprehensive understanding of each of their shoppers’ needs, today and tomorrow. They know what’s happening on the shop floor and are in tune with changing consumer needs. This way, they can translate these valuable insights into insightful presentations, product activation, and successful channel strategies that are deeply aligned and targeted for best results. 

The Global Category Development Manager collects as much big data as possible from various sources, to make the most impact possible. And w them specific data may not be readily available, they are creative and display resourcefulness to obtain the necessary information. This role may not conduct the current research. But, they collaborate closely with the global research department for deeper insights. Their approach is to collect and translate the data and research into valuable analyzes and insights, which will be used to provide customized retail advice and sales narratives.

“ In our industry, there’s room for much smarter utilization of big data. As Category Development Manager, this role can be the trailblazer, adding significant value for our customers and their shoppers. ” – Marjolein Offerein-Fikkers, Global Strategic Customer and Shopper Marketing Director of HOYA

The ideal candidate is a commercial data cruncher who can craft and convey a clear story to colleagues in training and workshops, as well as to customers they visit. These will help them gain a deeper insight into what’s happening on the shop floor, and to developing an excellent customer relationship.

This role is highly versatile, with various responsibilities and domains, including category management, stakeholder management, and assortment strategy. It presents an excellent opportunity for a driven, entrepreneurial professional to make a difference, not only for HOYA and its customers but for the entire customer buying lifecycle.

Interested?

HOYA is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, please contact Marc Mohr at marc.mohr@topofminds.com .