Category Manager
About The Position
Led by dynamic owner Joe Gurrera (and his commitment to superior quality) Citarella has grown from a respected NYC fish market into a full-scale, Ultimate Gourmet Market with locations across New York City, the Hamptons, and Greenwich, Connecticut. A family-run business, we’re driven by a passion for great food. We delight customers with the finest selection of fresh seafood, prime, dry-aged beef, chef-prepared specialties and handcrafted pastries, international cheeses, imported groceries, and more. Join our team of seasoned professionals and become a part of the fabric of the New York food scene. Role and Responsibilities The Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing merchandising strategies that support the premium product assortment and brand standards of Citarella. This role oversees product selection, vendor partnerships, pricing strategy, and promotional planning across multiple distribution channels including BUT NOT LIMITED TO United Natural Foods, KeHE Distributors, and direct-store-delivery partners such as Rainforest Distribution. The Category Manager plays a critical role in maintaining Citarella’s reputation for exceptional quality, sourcing unique and emerging specialty products, and delivering a curated assortment that differentiates the brand within the gourmet retail market.
Requirements
- Bachelor'sdegree inbusiness, Merchandising, Food Studies, or related field preferred.
- 4+ years of experience inCPGcategory management, buying, or merchandising within grocery, specialty food, or gourmet retail.
- Strong negotiation, analytical, and financial planning skills.
- Advancedproficiencyin Microsoft Excel and retail merchandising systems.
- Passion for specialty foods, emerging brands, and premium retail experiences.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with major distributors such as United Natural Foods and KeHE Distributors preferred.
- Experience managing DSD vendors including Rainforest Distribution or similar suppliers.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement category strategies that drive sales growth, margin improvement, and inventory productivity.
- Curate a differentiated assortment of premium, specialty, and emerging food brands that align with the Citarella brand.
- Evaluate product performance through sales analytics, market trends, and customer demand insights.
- Build andmaintainoptimalassortments that balance core items, local/regional products,emerging trends, and innovation
- Manage new product introductions, seasonalassortments, and product discontinuations.
- Manage distributor partnershipswithcompanies such asUnited Natural Foods and KeHE Distributors to ensureoptimalassortment access and favorable cost structures.
- Oversee direct-store-delivery vendor relationships including Rainforest Distribution and other specialty suppliers.
- Negotiate product costs, promotional funding, and trade allowances.
- Identifyand onboard emerging vendors and artisan producers to expand the brand’s specialty offerings.
- Establish retail pricing strategies that balance competitiveness with premium positioning.
- Monitor cost changes and margin performance tomaintainprofitability targets.
- Identifyopportunities for margin improvement through vendor negotiations, assortment optimization, and promotional planning.
- Partner with marketing and store leadership to develop promotional programs and seasonal campaigns.
- Leverage distributor promotional calendars and vendor support opportunities.
- Support in-store merchandising initiatives, category resets, and product storytelling.
- Resolve supply disruptions andidentifyalternativesourcingwhen needed.
- Forecast demand and manage inventory levels to minimize out-of-stocks, spoilage, and excess inventory
- Monitor Days on Hand (DOH)reporting,shrink, sell-through and distributor lead times.
- Partner with Operations,Warehouseand Inventory control to ensure smooth replenishment and delivery to the stores
- Analyze sales, margin, and inventory performance to inform category decisions.
- Prepare regular reporting on category performance, vendor contribution, and promotional effectiveness.
- Provide recommendations to senior leadership to support strategic merchandising initiatives.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Number of Employees
1-10 employees
