Category Manager-Consumer Products

MRA Recruiting Services•McHenry, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Medela LLC is seeking a Category Manager for Consumer Products who is passionate about consumer products and thrives at the intersection of analytics, strategy, and retail execution. This role will help shape the success of the company's consumer product portfolio by analyzing consumer behavior, market trends, retailer performance, and competitive activity to uncover opportunities that drive profitable growth. The Category Manager will work closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, and Supply Chain to develop category strategies, support new product launches, optimize pricing, and identify the right retail channels to maximize product success. The position is hybrid, requiring three days in the office, with a salary starting at $100K plus bonus.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Finance, or a related field.
4+ years of experience in Category Management, Category Strategy, Shopper Insights, Consumer Insights, Product Marketing, Commercial Excellence, or a related commercial function.
Experience working with consumer products in industries such as Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Consumer Durables, Juvenile Products, Consumer Healthcare, Housewares, Consumer Electronics, Sporting Goods, or medical devices sold through retail channels.
Experience using syndicated market data such as Circana (IRI), NielsenIQ, GfK, Numerator, or similar.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to transform data into actionable business recommendations.
Experience supporting product launches, pricing strategies, assortment decisions, and retail channel planning.
Understanding of retail environments, consumer purchasing behavior, and category management principles.
Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
Excellent presentation and communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
A collaborative, curious mindset with a passion for understanding consumers and growing brands.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Power BI or Tableau is preferred.

Responsibilities

Analyze consumer, shopper, customer, market, and channel data to identify emerging trends, growth opportunities, and competitive insights.
Translate data into actionable recommendations that improve category performance and drive business growth.
Support the development of retail channel strategies by evaluating customer opportunities, shopper behavior, and competitive dynamics.
Help define go-to-market strategies for new consumer product launches, including channel prioritization, pricing recommendations, and distribution opportunities.
Analyze syndicated market data (Circana/IRI, NielsenIQ, GfK, Numerator, or similar) alongside internal business performance to identify opportunities for growth.
Monitor category performance and changing consumer purchasing behaviors to provide actionable insights across the organization.
Support pricing strategy through competitive analysis and market evaluation.
Develop compelling customer presentations that communicate category insights, consumer trends, and growth opportunities.
Research evolving consumer needs, retail trends, and competitive activity to identify new opportunities.
Recommend assortment and distribution strategies that improve product availability and retail performance.
Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, and Supply Chain to support commercial initiatives and product launches.
Build dashboards and reports that communicate category health and business performance.
Support customer meetings with data-driven recommendations that strengthen retailer partnerships.