Category Management - Category Manager
About The Position
The Category Manager will analyze data and insights to determine industry and consumer trends. This role involves supporting the Sales team by ensuring they have the best/most appropriate products available for the General Commodity Category (Fry Oils, Fries, Spices, Hors d’oeurves, Condiments, Non-Foods, Liquid Dairy, etc.). Key activities include introducing successful new products nationally, supporting sales training, and identifying successful single-region products for expansion across multiple regions. The role also focuses on developing Private Labels within the category to drive competitive advantage, identifying innovative products and potential suppliers, and collaborating with Marketing and other teams to maximize company value. Responsibilities include rationalizing like/similar and special products within the company's portfolio based on performance, velocity, and customer interest, both regionally and nationally, and post-acquisitions. Additionally, the Category Manager will be responsible for supplier negotiations for the managed category, including achieving target/market-leading costs, developing rebate and other programs, securing supplier promotional support, and improving payment/cash cycle terms. Supplier compliance activities, legal documentation, specification sheets & supplier catalogs, and ensuring Food Safety are also key aspects of the role. Cross-functional collaboration with multiple departments is essential.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university.
- Extensive experience with and knowledge of the category.
Nice To Haves
- Previous food service distribution experience strongly preferred.
- Previous food importing experience strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Analyze data and insights to determine industry and consumer trends.
- Ensure Sales team has the best/most appropriate products available for the General Commodity Category.
- Introduce successful new products nationally.
- Support Sales Training activities.
- Identify successful single-region products to Lift/Shift across multiple regions.
- Develop Private Labels within this category to drive competitive advantage.
- Identify innovative products and potential suppliers.
- Collaborate with Marketing and other teams to maximize value to the company.
- Rationalize like/similar and special products within the company's portfolio based on performance, velocity, and customer interest (Regionally, Nationally, Post-acquisitions).
- Supplier Negotiations for the managed category: Achieving Target/Market-leading Costs, Developing Rebate and other program development, Securing Supplier Promotional Support, Improving Payment/Cash Cycle Term.
- Supplier compliance activities for the managed category.
- Manage Legal documentation, Specification sheets & supplier catalogs, and Food Safety.
- Cross functional collaboration with multiple departments.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
