Category Manager - Beef and Pork

Fresh Thyme Market•Downer's Grove, IL

19d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Category Manager - Beef and Pork manages assigned categories to meet or exceed projected budgets for top-line sales, total profit dollars, shrink, and inventory management. This role serves as the direct liaison between stores and vendors, including the distribution center, and supports department managers with training and development and the implementation of company programs and initiatives. The position follows a hybrid schedule: Monday through Wednesday in the Downers Grove, Illinois office and Thursday and Friday remotely. Travel of 5–10% for store visits is expected. The role may require varied hours and days as business dictates. The listed base pay range is $74,750 to $117,250, with incentive bonus opportunities that may vary based on individual and company performance. Fresh Thyme offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time team members, including medical, dental, and life insurance, as well as paid parental leave, a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program, and a 401(k) plan with employer match. The company also describes competitive compensation, incentive and recognition programs, and a commitment to professional development and work-life balance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent grocery industry experience.
At least 6 years of professional experience.
Maintain the highest level of customer service.
Adapt to a changing, high-volume retail environment and work in a cross-functional team environment.
Take initiative in decision-making and demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Adapt to varied situations, prioritize effectively, attend to detail, and meet deadlines.
Demonstrate excellent written communication and documentation skills.
Demonstrate excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills for effective business relationships with peers, senior management, customers, and vendors.
Have advanced knowledge of MS Office, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Multitask and maintain excellent organizational skills.
Lead, support, and contribute to team goals.
Work varied hours and days as business dictates.
Be familiar with Health Department guidelines and regulations for grocery retail.
Understand category business planning, marketing, and merchandising practices.
Read and interpret profit and loss statements and understand how managed categories affect results.
Have strong people skills and patience for training and communicating with customers and stores.

Nice To Haves

5–7 years of grocery category product experience in Natural Foods processes and procedures.
Previous experience in the natural foods industry.
Meat category experience is highly preferred.
Financial, mathematical, statistical, and consumer research experience to interpret how internal and external factors influence financial results.

Responsibilities

Create pricing, promotion, assortment, and shelf schematics for assigned categories using past performance, analysis, industry practices, and consumer trends.
Create yearly category business plans and budgets based on company and department initiatives and consumer and market trends.
Negotiate and collaborate with vendors on pricing, product assortment, promotions, advertisements, services, promotional calendars, and support; serve as the primary vendor contact for assigned categories.
Review category and department financials monthly and respond as necessary to meet sales, margin, and budget expectations.
Ensure store inventory levels meet company standards and report discrepancies.
Manage category-level shrink controls.
Authorize new items; research vendors, request and analyze quotes, select products, and implement product placement.
Research, develop, and implement merchandising and advertising plans supporting category business plans and department initiatives.
Help ensure stores meet company and health code standards.
Attend key vendor planning meetings.
Manage and implement special and seasonal items for new and existing stores.
Design schematics and recommend adjacencies that support category objectives.
Analyze promotional results to track sales and profits after each promotional period.
Maintain and review price files and competitive price checks to support competitive pricing in each market.
Support stores with special shelf and display decisions and visit stores as needed to observe merchandising results.
Communicate merchandising plans, advertising plans, price changes, projections, and other relevant information to stores, operations, vendors, support offices, and the department.
Help train and develop store-level Department Managers and Operational Specialists.
Work closely with procurement to communicate category and promotional plans and support service levels and inventory position.
Coordinate with operations and other departments to implement programs.
Perform other duties as assigned.