Position Summary Responsible for producing a comprehensive and cohesive category strategy which successfully meets the needs of our customers and achieves category goals while supporting brand integrated business plans. Drive the day to day activities of a selling organization culture with a consumer-centric focus through Category, Merchandising and Pricing (CMP) responsibilities. Responsible for thought leadership and category expertise around trends and category innovation.
Principle Duties and Responsibilities - Manages performance for assigned category including margin and shrink
- Responsible for all category financial & customer metrics
- Responsible for procurement and replenishment (Fresh) and in stock position at the shelf (Center Store) [Service levels, inventory/days on hand, forecasting and seasonal impacts)
- Responsible for talent planning, team development and performance management
- Develops and executes customer-focused category plans and drives a selling culture
- Manages pricing for assigned categories and influences pricing strategy
- Subject matter expert for assigned categories
- Manages assortment and selection for assigned categories (f.e. final approval for all POG decisions)
- Drives product innovation
- Vendor negotiation and relationships
- Develops and builds strong teams
Basic Qualifications - Extensive knowledge of applicable practice areas, i.e., Fresh or Center Store categories.
- Fresh Categories include, but are not limited to: Produce, Meat/Seafood, HMS/Deli/Bakery
- Center Store Categories are considered any category not listed in Fresh above
- Strong financial planning and budgeting experience
- Cross-functional leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to build cross-functional teams
- Demonstrated management expertise
- Demonstrated relationship management experience with vendors, brokers and third party consultants
- Seasoned level of knowledge for company, business and industry practices
Preferred Qualifications - Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA)
- Experience leading during organizational change management
- Demonstrated track record of developing others
- Knowledge of merchandising management, retail management, replenishment and item management systems
- Fresh Category Management specific:
- Proficiency with Logistics as it plays a critical role with short shelf life products
- Proficiency with commissary operations and processes
- Expert in food preparation practices and overall food safety standards
- Knowledge of local and state governmental impacts to selling fresh product (FDA, USDA, Weights/Measures, etc.)
Education - Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
Experience - 5 - 8 years in Category Management
- Minimum of 8 years combined experience in retail, merchandising, pricing, logistics, supply chain, procurement, or distribution
Skills and Abilities - Ability to manage day to day activity in support of identified business area and functional area strategies
- Ability to influence organizational alignment across multiple business areas
- Ability to take an educated risk with implementing programs that support consumer demands.
- Ability to negotiate
- Ability to think innovatively
- Demonstrate a personal acceptance of change and the ability to adapt and drive change
- Demonstrated ability to implement and analyze retail business using consumer insights and analyzing trends.
- Active listener with an ability to build trust across varying levels of the organization
- High degree of credibility and the ability to work with and through all levels of management
- Excellent organizational, planning, influence, communication and presentation skills
- Self-motivated and persuasive in presenting and selling ideas and executing their implementation
Travel 
