Job Description:The Senior Category Manager is responsible for being the Total Pet Category Advisor, leading category strategy, shopper insights, and analytics to drive category growth, strengthen customer partnerships, and support the Company's commercial objectives.
This role serves as a strategic advisor by delivering data-driven recommendations for the future of the Pet Department across assortment, space allocation, floorplan, and shelving strategy.
The Senior Category Manager plays a critical role in translating consumer, shopper, and marketplace insights into actionable strategies that drive growth across the Pet Category. This position partners closely with Category Leadership, Insights & Growth Strategy, Sales Planning, Global Category, Insights, and Marketing teams to develop category leadership capabilities and support customer business planning.
What are your key responsibilities?Category Strategy & Insights
- Develop and execute category management strategies that drive growth for both the Company and customers.
- Analyze consumer, shopper, market, and competitive trends to identify category opportunities and risks.
- Deliver actionable recommendations related to assortment, shelving, merchandising, and category optimization.
- Lead strategic business presentations.
- Support performance tracking on category recommendations executed.
- Monitor emerging eCommerce and omnichannel retail trends to identify new growth opportunities.
Data Analytics & Business Planning
- Determine what share of total store space should be allocated to Pets and where Pets should be located within the total-store layout.
- Develop floorplan and fixture strategies, including shopper pathing, category adjacencies, endcap strategy, and freight/flow considerations.
- Evaluate and recommend category space allocation within the Pet department.
- Provide item-level recommendations regarding space allocation within categories.
- Utilize syndicated data sources and retailer analytics platforms to generate insights and business recommendations.
- Translate complex data into clear, concise business recommendations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Category Leadership, Insights & Growth Strategy, Sales Planning, Global Category, Insights, and Marketing teams.
- Collaborate with internal teams to develop fact-based selling stories and customer-specific growth strategies.
- Influence cross-functional stakeholders through strong analytical storytelling and strategic recommendations.
Thought Leadership & Capability Building
- Serve as a category expert and trusted advisor within the organization.
- Mentor and support the development of junior category management team members as applicable.
- Stay current on category management best practices, retail trends, shopper behavior, and digital commerce evolution.
What are we looking for?- Bachelor's degree required; Business, Marketing, Analytics, Economics, or related field preferred.
- 5-10 years of experience in Category Management, Shopper Insights, Sales Strategy, or related CPG commercial functions.
- Experience supporting major retail customers and omnichannel/eCommerce environments.
- Experience with Walmart preferred.
- Strong understanding of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry dynamics and retail execution.
- Experience with Store of the Future (SOTF) and future retail concepts preferred.
- Demonstrated experience utilizing syndicated data and retailer analytics platforms.
- Advanced analytical, presentation, and communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and influence cross-functional stakeholders in a matrixed organization.
- Strong collaboration, problem-solving, and strategic thinking capabilities.
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and lead within matrixed organizations.
- Excellent communication, executive presentation, and relationship management skills.
What can you expect from Mars?- Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
- Join a purpose-driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
- A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
- An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
