Job DescriptionAs Senior Manager, Category Development, you will shape the future of key categories by turning customer, competitive, and financial insights into multi-year growth strategies. You will guide portfolio priorities, influence senior business decisions, and unite Merchandising and cross-functional partners around opportunities that strengthen differentiation, profitability, and customer value.
What you will be doing:- Develop and execute multi-year category growth strategies, portfolio roadmaps, and actionable plans aligned with enterprise and financial objectives.
- Identify growth platforms, innovation opportunities, and emerging market trends, and recommend where to invest, expand, defend, or exit.
- Evaluate portfolio performance and innovation pipelines, prioritize resources, and recommend strategic trade-offs across competing opportunities.
- Lead category strategy discussions with Divisional Merchandising Managers and senior leaders, using insights and analytics to influence business decisions.
- Align Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sourcing, and other partners around shared priorities and execution plans.
- Assess market attractiveness, customer behavior, competitive dynamics, and financial performance to guide category direction.
- Build and stress-test business cases, validate assumptions and risks, and drive disciplined, ROI-focused investment decisions.
- Represent Category Development in leadership forums and strategic planning discussions, communicating complex strategies clearly and persuasively.
- Lead, coach, and develop Managers, Associate Managers, and/or Analysts while strengthening capabilities in analytics, strategy, and storytelling.
- Set clear expectations, support talent and succession planning, and foster an inclusive, accountable, and high-performing team environment.
What You Bring to the Table:- Strategic thinking and strong business acumen, with the ability to connect enterprise priorities to category-level action.
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, paired with intellectual curiosity and sound judgment.
- Executive-level communication, influencing, and storytelling skills.
- Collaborative leadership and stakeholder management skills across multiple functions and levels.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity, lead through change, and create alignment among competing priorities.
- A results-focused approach with accountability, ownership, and a continuous learning mindset.
What's needed: Basic Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in business, Finance, Marketing, Economics, or related work experience.
- 8+ years of professional experience in category management, strategy, merchandising, consulting, analytics, or related field.
- Experience developing category growth strategies, translating complex data into actionable plans, and evaluating business cases, financial assumptions, risks, and returns.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience using Tableau or Power BI for analysis or visualization.
Preferred Qualifications:- MBA or other advanced degree in a related field.
- 8+ years of experience in retail, consumer packaged goods, consulting, or related industry.
- 5+ years of leadership experience managing and developing teams.
- Experience managing complex category portfolios with P&L responsibility, driving revenue growth or margin improvement, and leading enterprise initiatives in a matrixed organization.
- Advanced proficiency in SQL, Python, or BI and data-visualization tools, with experience supporting retail merchandising, commercial, private-brand, product-development, or category-management teams.
We Offer:- Inclusive culture with associate-led Business Resource Groups
- Flexible PTO (22 days) and Holiday Schedule (7 observed paid holidays)
- Online and Retail Discounts, Company Match 401(k), Physical and Mental Health Wellness programs, and more!
