Category Manager

Palmer Food Service•Rochester, NY

63d•$65,000 - $83,000•Onsite

About The Position

Palmer Food Services is seeking a Category Manager to join their team. This role involves partnering with the sales force to grow business, identify opportunities, and ensure the company has the correct product mix at competitive pricing. The Category Manager will develop broker/vendor relations, create and validate purchase orders, manage inventory levels, and monitor goals and margins using the internal computer system. This position requires staying informed about market and supply chain trends relevant to assigned categories and attending industry trade shows.

Requirements

3+ years of food related purchasing experience required.
Associates degree in business or related field, or equivalent field experience required.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Outlook, and Word.

Nice To Haves

Previous food distribution experience preferred.
Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Proven ability to manage multiple, time-sensitive projects and competing priorities simultaneously, work independently, and drive projects to completion with minimum guidance and high attention to detail.

Responsibilities

Partners with the sales force to grow business, identify opportunities, and ensure that the company has the correct product mix at the most competitive pricing to garner market share.
Develops broker/vendor relations to ensure the best products, pricing, and quality are available to the sales force.
Creates purchase orders and validates accuracy of pricing, freight, and expected delivery dates.
Works with the Accounting department to verify invoice pricing. Resolves any pricing discrepancies with the manufacturer or broker in a timely fashion.
Reviews inventory status reports to helps maintain inventory levels and turns according to budget goals for assigned vendors.
Ensures service levels (stock levels with subs) maintained at budgeted levels.
Monitors and acts on slow moving and dead inventory by working with manufacturer reps/brokers and our sales team to solve issues.
Works with the Purchasing and Vendor Relations Managers to eliminate slow moving SKU’s and to drive business to our preferred vendor and buying group partners.
Works with our internal computer system to monitor goals and margins.
Verifies order information, vendor/broker contact information, pricing, and item information for all assigned vendor lines.
Reviews margin reports and investigates sales below acceptable levels with Purchasing Manager and Sales Team to determine cause and correct any identified issues if possible.
Selects items from categories to participate in weekly fliers as well as seek promotional allowances from vendors to drive category sales and margins.
Attends and participates in team meetings, & sales meetings/events as required.
Reviews and updates Project & Plans worksheet with Purchasing Manager monthly.
Initiates and schedules ride alongs with the Sales Team on a regular basis.
Stays informed and up to date on markets/supply chain relevant to your categories/product line. Uses that information to update Palmer Sales Team and Weekly Market Information publication.
Attends Industry trade shows as necessary which may require overnight travel.