Assistant Category Manager - Perishables

Purpose

This is a developmental role with the goal of eventually transitioning the individual into a Category Manager position. Individuals should demonstrate both the desire and focused effort to learn about: category items, negotiating skills, analysis of past category performance, pricing, promotion, assortment, planograms, maximizing gross dollars, consumer trends, increasing market share versus prior year, industry practices, and meeting projected results.  It is imperative that the individual is open to learning, coaching and regularly partnering with others.

Responsibilities

• Learn about each component required in successful category management, as outlined above
• Execute necessary steps for category success with guidance from leaders
• Own vendor relationships as the primary contact. Build strong partnerships by meeting on a consistent basis, negotiating future plans, and maintaining the appropriate category assortment
• Manage P&L, monitoring performance and analyzing the results, with guidance from leaders
• Work closely with partner functions (Sourcing, Supply Chain, etc.). Communicate ongoing category and promotional plans to ensure desired service levels and the optimum inventory position
• Partner with promotional team on creation and implementation of a promotional calendar by category. Track results at the end of each promotion in terms of sales, P&L share growth, or contribution
• Collaborate with Space Planning team for POGs keeping direction of foot traffic in mind
• Initiate product development, as needed, by understanding quality of both national and private brand
• Contribute to the assortment planning process by making appropriate recommendations for new items entering the market and discontinuing lines based on potential contribution to the category strategies and department. Partner with leaders regarding final decisions
• Work with the Quality Assurance team to determine product quality specs, composition, and sensory requirements
• Hold suppliers accountable to negotiated product quality specifications
• Collaborate with financial analysts to evaluate the category through measurement of total contribution to the entire department, previous results, and market trends to contribute to a yearly category business plan in partnership with leaders
• Accountable for gross profit projections at the category level, rolling up to department projections quarterly, monthly, and yearly. These should be developed in partnership with leaders
• Visit competition as well as markets, stores, and distribution centers as necessary to observe results of product lines and share knowledge of competitive products, performance, and business trends
• Identify issues proactively, define customer-focused solutions, and drive sustainable results
• Maintain formal and informal channels of communication in multiple directions; encourage the expression of new ideas, suggestions, and complaints; review them for appropriateness and further action
• Perform other duties as assigned

About You

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing or related field and/or 1-3 years of relevant retail experience
• 2-3 years relevant business experience where a solid understanding of marketing, merchandising, consumer research and financial management practices have been gained
• Solid financial, mathematical, statistical, marketing, merchandising, and consumer research background to read, interpret, and understand how internal and external factors influence financial results
• Familiarity with Category Business Planning and/or ability to learn
• Negotiation and/or influencing skills, or the ability to learn
• Individual initiative
• Interpersonal skills to build rapport, network, and maintain effective business relationships within and outside the company
• Proficient in MS Excel and MS PowerPoint

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel up to ~10% of the time, which may include weekends and evenings, as needed
• Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled environment
• Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at a desk or computer terminal
• Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephone and other office equipment in the course of a normal workday
• Stooping, bending, twisting and reaching may be required in completion of job duties