Senior Manager, Business Development- Kroger & Harris Teeter

The Business Development Manager for Kroger & Harris Teeter is responsible for driving profitable growth for Kinder's by leveraging deep expertise in Kroger's ecosystem, including 84.51° and Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM). This role builds strategic partnerships across Kroger and Harris Teeter, develops best-in-class Joint Business Plans, and delivers best-in-class execution across both brick-and-mortar and digital platforms. This leader combines customer-centric thinking, data-driven decision making, and entrepreneurial ownership to accelerate Kinder's growth within Kroger's merchandising and shopper platforms. Key Responsibilities • Own and strengthen relationships with Kroger and Harris Teeter merchants, category managers, and leadership, positioning Kinder's as a category growth partner aligned to Kroger's Customer 1st strategy. • Develop and execute Joint Business Plans (JBPs) that deliver against Kroger scorecard metrics, same store sales, share growth, household penetration, and profitability. • Leverage 84.51° insights, Kroger Plus shopper data, and loyalty analytics to identify opportunities and shape customer-specific growth strategies. • Build compelling, data-driven selling stories using syndicated data (Circana/IRI/Nielsen) alongside Kroger-specific insights to influence assortment, shelving, and promotional decisions. • Lead assortment optimization and item authorization processes, identifying voids and expanding Kinder's distribution through new item presentations and innovation pipelines. • Partner with Kroger teams to execute digital-first strategies, including Kroger.com, pickup & delivery, and Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) activation. • Own sales forecasting by leading promotional planning and execution within Kroger systems, including trade promotion management (TPM), event planning, forecast alignment, and post-promotion ROI analysis. • Manage trade investment across Kroger and Harris Teeter, ensuring efficient allocation of billbacks, scan funding, and shopper marketing dollars. • Deliver best-in-class in-store execution by influencing planograms (POGs), displays, secondary placements, and seasonal merchandising events. • Lead off-shelf programs, including shippers, pallets, and cross-merchandising initiatives aligned with Kroger's merchandising calendar. • Partner cross-functionally with Kinder's marketing, supply chain, finance, and insights teams to deliver seamless execution and support Kroger-specific initiatives. • Monitor performance against Kroger KPIs, proactively identifying risks and opportunities and implementing corrective actions. • Lead line reviews, category reviews, and top-to-top presentations, grounded in Kroger-specific insights and shopper data. • Support and drive alignment with Kroger initiatives such as Our Brands collaboration, personalization, and eCommerce growth. What You Bring to the Table • Bachelor's degree required • 10+ years of CPG sales or customer leadership experience, with direct Kroger and/or Harris Teeter experience required • Strong understanding of Kroger systems and tools, including 84.51°, Stratum, KPM, and retailer portals • Proven track record of delivering results against Kroger-specific KPIs • Deep expertise in category management, shopper insights, and trade promotion within Kroger's operating model • Demonstrated success navigating Kroger's matrixed merchandising organization • Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to translate Kroger data into actionable insights • Experience working with brokers supporting Kroger divisions and Harris Teeter • Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to influence across multiple levels of the organization • Proven leadership capability, with people management experience or readiness to lead • High ownership mindset with a bias for action, adaptability, and results • Willingness to travel (20%). This role requires frequent travel to Kroger HQ in Cincinnati, OH. The position will be based onsite in Cincinnati, OH. We strongly believe in the power of culture and community and have a hybrid work structure with 4 days in the office on a weekly basis to encourage collaboration and personal connections that will allow us to better serve our customers and consumer and to have more fun. Fridays are flex days with employees having the opportunity to choose to be either in the office or to work from home based on what makes most sense for them. Pay Transparency: The expected starting salary range for this role is $140,000- $180,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance 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.