Category Manager, Tobacco Products

CAMPBELL OIL COMPANY INC•Elizabethtown, NC

About The Position

Join us as we grow together personally and professionally! Four Generations of family leadership continue to make it our vision to leave people better than we found them. We are more than an oil company, convenience store or restaurant, we are a family! We are improving the lives of those we touch every day by valuing the customer, caring for our 1000+ team members, and supporting our communities that we are honored to serve. POSITION OVERVIEW Responsible for full oversight of the Tobacco category for all Minuteman Food Mart owned and operated stores. Establish product assortment plans for cigarettes, other tobacco products, and E-Cigs. Responsible for enhancing the overall product portfolio to increase sales and profits. The Category Manager executes strategies and tactics that leverage company size, buying power, and scope of operations to achieve lowest cost of goods, the best assortment and proprietary/exclusive products, as well as maximizing rebates and all funding sources. A detailed Job Description will be available when you begin employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Begin building your career and apply now for these great benefits!

Requirements

Proven experience in category management, preferably in the convenience store or retail industry, with a focus on tobacco products.
Strong analytical skills with proficiency in data analysis tools and techniques.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
Meticulous with a focus on delivering results and meeting deadlines.
Willingness to travel frequently to visit stores and attend meetings with suppliers.
Bachelor’s Degree in related field preferred and 4-6 years of Category Management experience is required.
Previous Tobacco Category Management is required.
Strong negotiation, analytics, presentation, and sales skills are a must.
Demonstrated abilities to think strategically about complex issues, leading to thoughtful recommendations and creative action plans.
High level of problem-solving skills; must be highly analytical and be able to create/interpret a variety of reports.
Demonstrated success in business development; proven track record of building relationships while developing existing relationships.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external groups including office personnel, vendors, and other customers.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
Proficient level with Microsoft Outlook & Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).

Responsibilities

Manage assortments, costs, retails, suggested promotional plans, and store-level merchandising of items within the respective categories.
Negotiate terms with suppliers of all products within their assigned categories and ensure that suppliers are meeting Minuteman Food Mart’s service level expectations. Communicate all promotional and permanent price changes to the Price Book Manager.
Coordinate and manage vendor rebate program.
Develop, monitor, and report on category plans for each category under supervision. Plans will include sales and gross profit projections as well as strategic and tactical action plans to accomplish stated goals.
Develop and maintain category plan-o-grams to achieve maximum inventory turns and profitability.
Responsible to communicate, coordinate and assess store-level execution of promotional plans, plan-o-grams, and signage requirements.
Manage the Tobacco Products Category to establish optimal product assortment for all Minuteman Food Mart locations.
Work with company management, Tobacco vendor partners, and other vendors to develop category plans and products which support the company's vision, and meet financial objectives, on a quarterly, monthly, and weekly basis.
Develop flexible schematics working with vendors and partners for all store sizes and store specific demographics in the company.
Negotiate annual contracts with all Tobacco vendors.
Identify consumer opportunities through external/internal trends, customer feedback, and competitive insights/shops.
Perform on-going verification of plans against budgeted sales and gross profit and develop plans to address any shortfalls.
Develop pricing strategies based upon the competitive marketplace and store profitability.
Provide analysis by-sku performance/inventory turns/rebates, buy-downs, and all other sources of funding.
Develop and communicate information to all levels of the organization via various meetings including company weekly staff meetings and monthly planning meetings.
Work with the Marketing department on local advertising/promotions and POP.
Ensure that all appropriate product information is completed and set up on the merchandising system, then distributed to field operations.
Work with Accounting to effectively manage all Tobacco rebates and cost of goods.
Manage, evaluate and provide feedback/recommendations for Operations/Merchandising tests of new products and equipment.
Assist with store resets as needed.
Assist in store openings as needed.
Participate in special projects as assigned.