About The RoleThe Director of Category Management - Walmart Inc. leads category insights and analytics for Kinder's Walmart and Sam's Club businesses. This leader turns retailer, category, shopper, and market data into clear recommendations that help the Business Development teams grow distribution, improve assortment and merchandising, and strengthen Kinder's position as a category partner.
The Director will build the category management capability supporting Walmart Inc., establish a consistent approach to analysis and storytelling, and develop the team as the business grows. Working closely with Business Development, Sales Strategy, Customer Development, Shopper Marketing, Sales Planning, and Finance, this role ensures customer plans and selling stories are grounded in evidence. Category Management provides insights and recommendations to support Business Development team's customer strategy and relationships
Key ResponsibilitiesTeam & Capability Leadership• Lead and develop the Category Management team supporting Walmart and Sam's Club; setting clear priorities, analytical standards, and expectations for customer presentations.
• Build repeatable processing, reporting, and tools that improve the speed and quality of analysis and category recommendations.
• Prioritize Category Management efforts against the decisions that matter most to the customer and the business.
Category Insights & Growth Opportunities• Identify category, segment, shopper, and competitive trends that reveal growth opportunities for Walmart, Sam's Club, and Kinder's.
• Develop recommendations for assortment, shelf space, merchandising, pricing, and innovation using retailer, syndicated, and household data.
Customer & Category Analytics• Synthesize complex customer and category analysis into simple, digestible presentations for a wide range of audiences.
• Lead team through regular customer analyses including category reviews, post-mod impact, shopper marketing programs, etc.
• Evaluate new item launches, promotional activity, and in-store and digital programs; translate results into actions for future plans.
• Leverage deep expertise in Walmart Scintilla, Sam's Club MADRID, syndicated data, and other relevant sources. Set standards for data quality and customer presentations.
Customer Presentations & Data Storytelling• Build compelling category stories and customer presentations that connect consumer and shopper insights to actionable recommendations.
• Partner with Business Development to develop line reviews, post-mod analysis, innovation sell-in, joint business planning, and more.
• Present analysis and recommendations to internal leaders, as well as Walmart and Sam's Club stakeholders.
Cross-Functional Partnership• Partner with Sales Strategy to apply Kinder's category priorities to Walmart Inc. opportunities.
• Work with Customer Development, Shopper Marketing, and Sales Planning to inform customer-specific launches, activation plans, and performance reviews.
• Share emerging risks and opportunities across Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations so teams can act on a common understanding of the business.
What You Bring to the Table• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, analytics, or a related field.
• 7-10 years experience in category management, customer analytics, or insights, including experience supporting major retailers.
• Strong knowledge of Walmart and/or Sam's Club data, merchandising practices, and category review processes.
• Experience with Walmart Scintilla and Sam's Club MADRID, as well as syndicated and household panel data such as Circana, NIQ, SPINS, or Numerator.
• Proven ability to turn complex analysis into concise recommendations and persuasive customer presentations.
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills; experience building scalable reporting and visualization tools.
• Experience leading people or developing an analytics capability through others.
• Ability to influence cross-functional partners while managing multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
Location and TravelThis position is based in Bentonville, AR. We believe great collaboration happens when we spend time together, so our team works in a hybrid model with four days per week in the office and one flexible work-from-home day. Minimal travel (approximately 5-10%) is expected to for travel back to headquarters, located in Walnut Creek, CA.
Pay TransparencyThe expected starting salary range for this role is $215,000- $240,000 per year. The salary range posted for this role reflects the good-faith base pay range Kinder's reasonably expects to offer at the time of posting and may vary based on the location of the role. Individual compensation within the posted range will be determined based on factors such as relevant education, experience, qualifications, skills, and business needs.
SEASONED FOR SUCCESS:- No two days here are the same.
- We try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don't live by hierarchy and structure - everyone is a difference maker here.
- We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information - our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
- We believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk.
- We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
- We aren't trying to be average - we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.
BENEFITS THAT BRING MORE TO THE TABLE:We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder's benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.
OUR RECIPE FOR BALANCE:We believe great culture starts with people. We're a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.
