Category Owner - Edible Packaging

At Notpla we're at the leading edge of sustainable innovation, creating natural alternatives to single-use plastic packaging that's carefully engineered to create a healthier planet. Founded on the belief that nature knows best, we're an innovative, ideas and action-oriented scale-up who develop and manufacture uncompromisingly natural packaging solutions from seaweed and plants.

The Edibles Category Owner will spearhead the strategic and operational success of the Edibles product line at Notpla. This category includes Ohoo, edible films, and pipettes, among other innovative products.

This is an exciting time to join Notpla, right on the brink of a record-breaking year for revenue and on-track for major growth in the next 18-24 months. Bolstering confidence in our financial performance, we have just secured a Series A+ fundraise for £20million, enabling us to scale our growth and environmental impact faster than ever.

The Category Owners report directly to the CEO's & Co-Founders, whilst being heavily supported by our Head of Product Portfolio and our CRO. You will work closely with the Technical Category manager for the edible packaging category, working with them in a "co-founder" type capacity to drive the category's vision-setting, strategy formulation, and category performance ownership

Led by strong values, all Notpla employees are encouraged to take responsibility for their domain, giving a high level of autonomy. Our aim is to build an inspiring culture that's reflected in our working policies ,environment and employees.

Besides offering exciting roles and a great working environment, Notpla provides competitive salaries, the potential for EMI Share Options, a zero-carbon pension scheme, discounts with local businesses, and subsidised social activities. Our office first hybrid working policy allows you to work in the manner that maximises your productivity, while still creating a vibrant and collegiate work environment We are a social business with regular clubs and events, and we are proud of how our diverse workplace has created a community that is all pushing towards the common goal of making plastic disappear.

The role encompasses vision-setting, strategy formulation, and category performance ownership. The role of Edibles Category Owner represents a unique opportunity to lead and shape the category from its foundation, defining business opportunities and driving forward innovation within the edible packaging space. The Edibles Category Owner will act as a steward of cohesive growth and a champion of sustainability and customer experience within this pioneering category.

We are looking for a Results driven, collaborative leader who is willing to take on full accountability for the category's success. You will have to be able to combine strategic vision, whilst focusing on measurable goals, using your leadership skills to foster teamwork and align a multifunctional group to achieve its goals. You will need to have prior experience in a Product Manager/Category Owner type role, preferably within the packaging, food or FMCG space. Alongside this you will need to have a demonstrable track record of delivering commercial success, owning the business development process from cradle to grave. You will also need to have strong financial acumen, owning the categories P+L and forecasting models. Alongside all of the above, your day to day responsibilities will include:

• Oversee the strategy for the entire Edibles product line, balancing short-term execution with long-term growth objectives.

• Develop and track category KPIs, focusing on measurable outcomes such as product adoption, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth.

• Identify new business opportunities within the Edibles category, targeting strategic markets and segments.

• Create and maintain a robust pipeline of leads, transforming prospects into recurring customers.

• Negotiate and secure long-term agreements with key accounts, ensuring sustained revenue growth and customer retention.

• Oversee the end-to-end product lifecycle for edible products, from development to launch, ensuring successful execution across all touchpoints, including marketing, pricing, distribution, and customer support.

• Work closely and collegially with a small but highly skilled team, including a technical project manager and a food scientist, fostering a spirit of collaboration.

• Collaborate with engineering, chemistry, design, commercial, and finance teams to achieve category goals.

• Develop and nurture strong relationships with key customers to better understand their needs and create customer-centric solutions.

• Partner with industry suppliers to ensure a reliable and innovative supply chain for the Edibles category.

£45,000 - £60,000 + EMI Share Options