Category Manager - Produce

Fresh Thyme Market•Aurora, IL

11d•$74,750 - $117,250•Hybrid

About The Position

The Category Manager – Produce manages assigned categories to meet or exceed budgets for sales, direct margin, shrink, inventory, and customer satisfaction through assortment, pricing, promotion, and merchandising strategies. The role serves as a liaison among stores, vendors, and the distribution center; supports department managers with training and development; and helps implement company programs and initiatives. The position follows a hybrid schedule: Monday through Wednesday in the Downers Grove, Illinois office and Thursday through Friday remotely. Travel is expected 10–15%. The role involves developing category plans and budgets, managing vendor relationships and category performance, and coordinating with procurement, distribution, operations, suppliers, and stores. The stated base pay range is $74,750–$117,250, with incentive bonus opportunities that may vary based on individual and company performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent grocery industry experience.
At least 6 years of professional experience.
5–7 years of grocery retail experience in Produce merchandising, category management, pricing, promotions, and assortment planning.
Demonstrated understanding of Produce merchandising, category analytics, seasonal planning, freshness management, shrink control, and promotional effectiveness.
Maintain a high level of customer service.
Ability to adapt to a changing, high-volume retail environment and work in a cross-functional team.
Initiative, sound decision-making, and strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Flexibility, advanced attention to detail, and ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
Excellent written communication and documentation skills.
Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills for effective relationships with peers, senior management, customers, and vendors.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Ability to multitask and strong organizational skills.
Ability to lead, support, and contribute to team goals.
Ability to work varied hours and days as business dictates.
Familiarity with health department guidelines and regulations for grocery retail.
Familiarity with category business planning and an understanding of marketing and merchandising practices.
Ability to read and interpret profit and loss statements and understand how managed categories are affected.
Strong people skills and patience for training and communicating with customers and stores.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in the natural foods industry.
Strong Produce category knowledge, including seasonality, freshness standards, merchandising best practices, and consumer trends.
Financial, mathematical, statistical, and consumer research experience to interpret how internal and external factors influence financial results.

Responsibilities

Create and implement pricing, promotion, assortment, and shelf schematics for assigned categories, using analysis of past performance, industry practices, and consumer trends.
Create yearly category business plans and budgets based on company and department initiatives, consumer trends, and market trends.
Negotiate and collaborate with vendors on pricing, assortment, promotions, advertising, services, promotional calendars, and support; serve as the primary vendor contact for assigned categories.
Review category and department financials monthly and take action to meet sales, margin, and budget expectations.
Keep store inventory levels within company standards and report inventory discrepancies.
Manage category performance through assortment, merchandising, freshness, quality, and shrink-control strategies.
Authorize new items; research vendors, request and analyze quotes, select products, and implement product placement.
Develop and execute category plans covering assortment, merchandising, pricing, promotions, and seasonal strategies.
Lead category merchandising initiatives, seasonal programs, and innovation efforts to drive sales, customer engagement, and market differentiation.
Help ensure stores meet company and health code standards.
Attend key vendor company planning meetings.
Manage and implement special and seasonal items for new and existing stores.
Design schematics and recommend adjacencies that support the category.
Conduct post-promotion analysis of sales and profit results.
Maintain and review price files and competitive price checks.
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 pertinent information to stores, operations, vendors, support offices, and the department.
Help train and develop store-level Department Managers and Operational Specialists.
Partner with procurement, distribution, operations, and suppliers to execute category, merchandising, and promotional strategies while maintaining inventory and freshness standards.
Work with operations and other departments to facilitate program implementation.
Perform other duties as assigned.