Job Description:

The primary purpose of this position is to lead the strategy and performance of assigned dairy categories, including assortment, pricing, promotions, sales, gross margin, net profit, inventory, shrink, and service levels. The successful candidate will use customer insights, competitive intelligence, and dairy commodity market knowledge to anticipate cost and supply changes, identify growth opportunities, and deliver a relevant, high-quality product offering. This role requires strategic thinking, disciplined execution, strong analytical and project management skills, and close partnership with suppliers and the Operations, Merchandising, Marketing, Replenishment, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, and Finance teams. Frequent independent judgment is essential. The incumbent is also required to perform all tasks safely and in accordance with corporate policies and applicable laws.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The associate is responsible for the functions below, in addition to other duties as assigned:

• Analyze weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual sales, units, margin, inventory, shrink, and market-share results; translate findings into actionable category plans.
• Achieve sales, gross margin, net profit, inventory-turn, shrink, and service-level targets established through the planning process.
• Develop and maintain customer-focused assortment and space plans across assigned dairy categories, including product segmentation, SKU rationalization, innovation, and local or regional opportunities.
• Develop pricing and promotional strategies that balance traffic, value perception, competitive position, unit growth, and profitability.
• Monitor dairy commodity markets, including milk, butterfat, cheese, whey, and other relevant inputs, and assess the impact of market movements on vendor costs, retail pricing, supply, and category margins.
• Partner with Finance, Replenishment, and Supply Chain to develop forecasts, evaluate cost-change requests, and recommend timely pricing or sourcing actions based on commodity trends and business conditions.
• Partner closely with the company’s milk plant to develop forecasts for Own Brand milk, teas, and drinks; review production, demand, and service needs; evaluate potential new items based on customer and market trends; and foster a collaborative and effective working relationship.
• Manage inventory and product life cycles for perishable items, including new-item introductions, promotional purchases, seasonal transitions, discontinuations, shelf life, rotation, out-of-stocks, and markdown or shrink reduction.
• Negotiate favorable product costs, contract terms, trade allowances, promotional funding, new-item allowances, service expectations, and other supplier investments.
• Develop and execute advertising, marketing, and promotional programs; evaluate results and adjust future plans based on incremental sales, margin, and return on investment.
• Manage incremental income, including advertising cooperatives, markdown support, coupon redemption, rebates, scan-backs, and temporary price reductions.
• Identify and implement private-brand opportunities that strengthen value, differentiation, quality, and profitability.
• Monitor supplier performance, product quality, fill rates, lead times, and continuity of supply; develop contingency plans for shortages, disruptions, recalls, or significant cost volatility.
• Partner with Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, and Operations to support cold-chain integrity, food safety, regulatory compliance, product freshness, and precise in-store execution.
• Communicate category strategies, assortment changes, planograms, promotions, and execution expectations clearly to store and field teams.
• Work closely with other Category Managers and cross-functional partners to optimize merchandising strategies, customer solutions, and overall store performance.
• Develop, present, and implement annual and long-range category and product-line business strategies.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position may supervise assigned merchandising support associates and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with company policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities may include training, directing work, recognizing performance, and conducting performance appraisals. If no associates are assigned, this position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) in Business, Marketing, Food Industry Management, Agriculture, Supply Chain, Economics, or a related field, plus five (5) years of progressively responsible retail, wholesale, procurement, merchandising, or category management experience. Experience directly managing dairy categories is required. Experience analyzing dairy commodities and their impact on cost, pricing, supply, and margin is preferred. Equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience may be considered. Knowledge of applicable food safety, labeling, quality, and regulatory requirements is required.

• Strong communication skills with Operations teams, providing clear and motivating direction for dairy merchandising and execution tactics that drive category growth.
• Ability to effectively communicate merchandising plans to the store teams in a way that motivates the teams to execute flawlessly.
• Ability to effectively partner with functional peers and internal partners.
• Ability to remain flexible as business needs change and respond in a positive, professional manner.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and time management skills.
• Ability to analyze financial and statistical reports.
• Receptive to coaching, guidance, and supervision.
• Ability to travel as business needs dictate.

The following qualities are required:

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• This position requires a valid driver's license for business travel.
• Ability to pass a drug test.
• Deep knowledge of grocery retail category management principles, with demonstrated experience managing dairy categories.
• Thorough understanding of dairy shoppers, consumer trends, product attributes, and purchase behavior across conventional, premium, value, organic, lactose-free, and other relevant segments.
• Strong analytical skills and a data-driven approach to assortment, pricing, promotion, forecasting, inventory, shrink, and supplier-performance decisions.
• Committed to providing customer service that makes both internal and external customers feel welcome, important, and appreciated.
• Ability to preserve confidentiality of information.
• Ability and willingness to move with purpose and a strong sense of urgency.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to organize and prioritize a variety of tasks/projects.
• Familiarity with dairy-industry terminology and processes, including commodity inputs, refrigerated supply chains, shelf life, rotation, quality, and food-safety requirements.
• Ability to work within strict time frames and meet firm deadlines.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint; ability to use reporting and category-management tools to interpret performance and communicate recommendations.
• Ability to work day or evening hours.