“Should I Take a Sideways Move?” Why Lateral Roles Can Fast-Track Your FMCG Career

In an ideal world, every next step in your career would be upwards—more senior title, bigger team, better pay… more responsibility etc etc.

But the reality? The best long-term careers in FMCG are rarely built in straight lines.

I remember my first ever role in recruitment, sitting down with my new line manager and him drawing a triangle on a piece of paper in front of me – along the base, he listed out the functions within an FMCG business: sales, marketing, strategy, ops…  ‘this is a candidate’s career, wider at the base and narrower at the top… if they want to get to the pinnacle (say, MD or GM) they have to have some breadth earlier in their career.

Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t a promotion. It’s a lateral step that gives you exposure, range, and momentum. So if you’re asking, “Should I take a sideways move?”—here’s why the answer might be yes.

1. Titles Don’t Build Capability—Experience Does

A step up in title without the experience to match can leave you exposed. On the flip side, a lateral move into a different category, channel, or brand type can deepen your skillset and credibility.

Ask yourself:

Would this new role let me…

• Work with a different consumer group?

• Manage a larger budget or cross-functional team?

• Own a full P&L or lead a more complex project?

If yes, you’re gaining career capital—even if the job title doesn’t change.

2. Lateral Moves Build Range (and Range Builds Resilience)

The FMCG market is shifting fast—DTC, e-commerce, sustainability pressures, private label disruption.

Candidates who’ve worked across multiple functions (e.g., sales and marketing), routes to market (e.g., grocery and impulse), or brand stages (e.g., growth vs turnaround) are more resilient—and more attractive to employers who, these days, have less time to get a riskier hire up to speed.

Range beats narrow specialism every time at senior level. Lateral moves help you build that range.

Book a Call with POET to discuss your career HERE

3. Sometimes It’s the Brand, Not the Title, That Opens Doors

And that doesn’t mean you necessarily have to work on a household name… some of the best candidates I’ve ever helped decided to take the reins on their company’s ‘ugly duckling’ or the brand that was unloved and needed a nudge in the right direction. It meant thinking differently to everyone else around them, using resources differently and engaging with stakeholders in a more entrepreneurial manner.

Take a brand on a journey with you by all means but sometimes, if there’s an opportunity to turn a brand around, or show that customer some love that your company’s neglected… think about doing the seemingly unglamorous remit next – the path less trodden might surprise you long-term.

4. Don’t Obsess Over Salary in the Short Term

Yes, your time is valuable. But salary jumps tend to come every 12-18 months in FMCG. Taking a 5% increase for a role that doesn’t stretch you won’t move the needle.

A sideways move into a more demanding, visible or strategic role can lead to a 15–25% leap later. The compounding effect of stretching roles matters more than small short-term wins.

5. Ask the Right Questions Before You Say Yes

Not every sideways move is worth it. Here’s what to consider:

• What skills or experience will I gain that I don’t have today?

• Will this give me more autonomy, accountability or visibility?

• Will I be working with leaders who can mentor or champion me?

• Does this move improve my longer-term options?

If most of those answers are yes, you’re not standing still. You’re investing in your future.

Final Thoughts:

Your career is a portfolio—not a ladder. The best FMCG leaders didn’t just climb. They moved across, learned more, broadened their horizons—and then accelerated past the competition.

So if the next offer/remit isn’t a promotion but feels like a stretch, don’t dismiss it too quickly.

Sometimes the smartest way forward… is sideways.

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POET is a UK-based recruitment company that helps some of the Consumer Goods industry's best-loved brands to hire world-class talent across Sales, Marketing, Insights and Operations. Now in our tenth year, we help with one-off projects, building entire teams or simply consulting across an increasingly unpredictable market for talent.

For advice, help or just to understand what's happening in the FMCG marketplace, get in touch with POET - book a call any time here 

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FMCG Recruitment. Done Better.