Category Manager, Tobacco: Modern Nicotine

About the position

The Category Manager of Tobacco: Modern Nicotine will be accountable for developing & leading the strategic direction of and advancing all aspects of modern nicotine as part of a total Tobacco product assortment led by the Senior Category Manager. The Category Manager will also support Sr. CM with additional tasks/needs of the Cigarette/Tobacco business unit as needed.

Responsibilities

• Track with key customer insights, manufacturer requirements & programs, and regulatory environment to drive both assortment and activity of Modern Nicotine efforts with intent to be primary destination.
• Develop, manage, and communicate sales plans and activities for Modern Nicotine and drive testing, expansion and regionalization efforts.
• Follow overall merchandising strategy and end-to-end procedures to manage product assortment, retail pricing, cost management, and sales plan activation. Collaborate w/ Marketing & Digital to drive visibility/awareness.
• Negotiate and influence Manufacturer activity for assigned categories: cost, bill-backs, allowances, terms, co-op media spend, and other resources/opportunities.
• Collaborate with Logistics, Wholesalers, Manufacturers, and Senior Category Manager, to ensure stable supply of product assortment to stores.
• Own, influence, and manage manufacturer relationship for Modern Nicotine as the primary National contact. Educate and influence based on company & category strategy.
• Conduct vendor meetings. Understand program changes and vendor strategies to execute, and negotiate and influence assortment, pricing and promo programs, and funding.
• Track key metrics (KPIs), inclusive of syndicated sales and share information to verify, adjust, and iterate plans as effective.
• Support Sr. Product Director and Sr. Category Manager as tasked/needed to stakeholder and vendor manage.
• Educate, support, and troubleshoot in support of Operations based on assortment, programs, and activations that are store facing in Modern Nicotine.
• Communicate regularly w/ Operations and Field Merchandising based on CSA/marketplace understanding and opportunities.
• Develop and oversee in-store testing of potential new products, concepts and promotional activity within Modern Nicotine.
• Optimize display and space management opportunities as category continues to grow/evolve.

Requirements

• Bachelors/4 Yr Degree
• 4+ years of relevant work experience
• Effective communication skill, both written and verbal.
• Strong analytical skill/acumen.
• Competency with both standard and custom Business Intelligence systems, such as Power BI, Circana.
• Negotiation experience or accreditation preferred, as well as familiarity with Sales Cycles.
• High school diploma plus 3 to 4 years experience with heavy PC usage.
• Previous Category Management / College education is also strongly preferred.

Nice-to-haves

• Negotiation experience or accreditation preferred.
• Familiarity with Sales Cycles.