Category Activation Specialist

NAPA Auto Parts • Torrance, CA

240d

About The Position

Support the strategic category plan and financial objectives of assigned category group by driving the planning, communication and measurement of the following critical departmental processes, while providing key insights, associated with each and making recommendations, to the Category Managers: All promotional activity across all channels, Supplier onboarding, New line set up, Category reporting. While accomplishing these financial objects, this person in this position is expected to uphold GPC's high standards and ethics and integrity as an important representative of the corporation to the suppliers, customers, and community.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, or related field advantageous
• Intermediate to advanced competency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with cross functional departments and colleagues
• Strong business analytical skills, resourceful, results driven
• Ability to problem solve, analyze data, and perform critical thinking
• Strong oral and written communication skills and a desire to apply those skills with customers and internal stakeholders
• Ability to build strong working relationships, with both internal and external stakeholders
• Effective listener that can get to the root of customer problems/needs
• Well organized with ability to manage many congruent and diverging tasks simultaneously
• Exceptional follow up and attention for detail

Nice To Haves

• This role could be a stepping-stone to a Category Management role, for the right person.

Responsibilities

• Documentation of promotional planning calendar, by category and by supplier, including all channels, all scheduled promotions and ad-hoc promotions
• Communication of promotional planning calendar to all stakeholders, including external suppliers and internal departments, such as: marketing, supply chain and sales teams
• Ongoing maintenance of promotional planning calendar, ensuring it is up-to-date at all times
• Prepare all required documentation for promotional submissions, ensuring all critical timelines are met, including completion of all required templates, such as Detail Sheets
• Participate in key milestone meetings associated with all promotional activities
• Ensure all inventory planning is consistent with forecasted needs and proactively work cross functionally with the supply chain team to ensure seamless execution
• Communicate all promotions to the broader field network, via bulletins and other supporting materials
• Reconcile all supplier income initiatives associated with promotional activities, ensuring these funds are claimed, journaled and reported accurately on a regular basis
• Conduct post implementation analysis, including customer, operational and financial responses to all promotional activities, with a view to making recommendations for future improvement
• Lead the new supplier onboarding process from end to end, including all direct to APG suppliers and all domestic Balkamp suppliers, ensuring the highest level of service to our suppliers is maintained at all times
• Assist the sourcing team with set up of all global suppliers
• Liaise with assigned suppliers to ensure all critical milestones are met
• Activate new suppliers cross functionally within the organization, including communication to the field
• Lead the set up of all new lines, working cross functionally with internal and external stakeholders
• Assist in facilitating samples and planograms, where applicable
• Reconcile all supplier income initiatives associated with new line fees, ensuring these funds are claimed, journaled and reported accurately on a regular basis
• Communicate new lines to the network
• Monitor financial performance of new lines, in collaboration with the Category Analytics team
• Manage product lifecycle, including Supersessions, DNR and clearance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree