Associate Category Manager

Gordon Food Service • Wyoming, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Gordon Food Service is seeking an Associate Category Manager to join their Store Product Team at their Home Office in Wyoming, MI. This role is responsible for supporting new product development, planning and executing marketing plans, gathering product and customer requirements, defining product vision, and collaborating with sales, sourcing, and procurement to achieve key category metrics. The Associate Category Manager will work closely with Store Category Managers and the Leadership Team, acting as a liaison for DSD suppliers and utilizing category data and customer insights for decision-making. They will be accountable for the sales and profitability of assigned categories by monitoring costs, margins, product mix, packaging, seasonal opportunities, and shrink. The role involves managing and negotiating customer support, overseeing the product lifecycle, monitoring performance against the Annual Plan, and collaborating with various teams (pricing, marketing, merchandising, supply chain, sales) and suppliers to drive category growth, product innovation, and cost management. The position also requires maintaining knowledge of consumer trends and providing timely information and in-store support to store and field teams.

Requirements

• Three (3) or more years of previous product, brand, or category management experience.
• Strong customer service skills, growth mindset, good communication skills, and the ability to work on a team.
• Strong leadership and relationship-building skills to effectively work with all levels of the organization and vendors.
• Good time management and organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of spreadsheet, word processing, presentation, business reporting software, and e-mail software applications.
• Ability to learn category management tools, assortment planning, and reporting systems.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• High School Diploma / Equivalent (required)

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Sales, or Marketing (preferred)
• Proven capability to perform the essential functions of the job, as demonstrated by an equivalent combination of education, training and/or relevant work experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Supporting the Home Office Store Product Team with new product build, planning, and execution of product marketing plans.
• Gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, and defining the product vision.
• Working closely with sales, sourcing, and procurement to deliver on the category's key metrics.
• Working collaboratively with each of the Store Category Managers and the Leadership Team.
• Executing all project work as requested, and related to the various categories, to include acting as liaison for various DSD suppliers.
• Leveraging internal and external category data and customer insights to inform decision-making.
• Providing weekly and timing reporting as requested.
• Monitoring COGs, margin, product mix, packaging, seasonal product opportunities, and item shrink for assigned categories' sales and profitability.
• Managing and negotiating customer support, such as marketing dollars, slotting allowances, and costs.
• Providing direction of overall Store product lifecycle management from introduction to discontinuance.
• Monitoring performance versus Annual Plan and working with internal teams and vendors to take corrective action to assure annual plan achievement.
• Collaborating with the pricing team to achieve margin and sales goals.
• Partnering with marketing, merchandising, supply chain, sales and other relevant areas to drive category performance.
• Collaborating with and leveraging suppliers and internal teams to drive the proper assortment in each store and product innovation that support consumer trends and result in category growth.
• Collaborating with and leveraging Suppliers to strategically market products that drive return on investment.
• Collaborating with and leveraging MSC, Suppliers, Strategic Alliances to address cost needs for Gordon Food Service Store.
• Maintaining knowledge of current consumer trends and insights as well as product development and innovation in the assigned category.
• Servicing the store and field teams by providing timely and relevant information.
• Providing in store support as needed for new programs, products, store openings and remodels.

Benefits

• Equal Employment Opportunity is a matter of policy at Gordon Food Service, Inc. and we are committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED