Associate Category Manager (Hybrid: Onsite and Remote)
About The Position
The Associate Category Manager drives category performance through detailed analysis of product assortment, pricing changes, vendor proposals, and agreements. The role focuses on optimizing category activities, including new product and assortment reviews, vendor negotiations, and pricing work for the assigned category. It is hybrid, with three onsite days in Rosemont, Illinois (Tuesday through Thursday) and two remote days (Monday and Friday). The associate is expected to perform assigned responsibilities from a combination of home-based and office-based environments. The position works across corporate, regional, and divisional teams, including corporate executive leadership, and manages relationships with critical vendors and external third parties, including consulting firms. The role offers an annual incentive plan bonus. The expected base salary range is $75,000–$120,000, depending on relevant experience, education, skills, function, location, and other applicable factors.
Requirements
- At least 3 years of Category Management or related experience in retail, food service, or a consumer goods company.
- Experience in vendor relations, pricing, and product assortment management.
- Ability to operate successfully in a matrix environment and work effectively across multiple groups and levels.
- Solid quantitative and analytical skills and ability to work in a team setting.
- Possess or rapidly develop strong knowledge of products in the assigned category and division sales requirements.
- Ability to provide fact-based recommendations across various levels of management.
- High degree of motivation; ability to prioritize and self-direct; strong business acumen and sound interpersonal skills.
- Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and with Microsoft Outlook.
- Four-year college degree in business or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Nice To Haves
- Category Management or related experience in foodservice or food manufacturing.
Responsibilities
- Analyze assigned category performance and growth objectives across product assortment, pricing, promotions, new product introductions, and pricing changes.
- Maintain reports to track category performance, assess the impact of contributing variables against established metrics, identify trends and opportunities, and recommend ways to improve performance.
- Manage vendor relationships, lead product reviews, identify and assess opportunities, negotiate conference promotions, and negotiate with vendors without existing US Foods agreements.
- Review vendor performance reports, identify issues, and provide recommendations to the Category Manager.
- Analyze product assortment and identify top-performing SKUs by division and region; assess growth opportunities and the impact of proposed assortment changes; recommend actions to improve category effectiveness and performance.
- Review category pricing reports, identify pricing issues and opportunities, analyze the impact of pricing and assortment changes, and provide findings and recommendations to the Category Manager.
- Develop category-specific communications, including product launch support materials.
- Maintain relationships with US Foods regions and divisions to understand their requirements and perspectives and ensure their needs are addressed in category strategy.
- Liaise with divisions to resolve escalated merchandising issues.
Benefits
- Annual incentive plan bonus
- Health insurance
- Pre-tax spending accounts
- Retirement benefits
- Paid time off
- Short-term and long-term disability
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Life insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
