Category Manager - Grocery
About The Position
The Category Manager provides leadership in product development and category performance within the Grocery department. The role drives product innovation, evaluates market trends, and ensures alignment with Sprouts’ quality standards. It analyzes sales data, consumer trends, pricing, and product quality to assess value and sales velocity, and manages product and brand launches, vendor agreements, and the procurement lifecycle in support of departmental objectives and contractual compliance. The Category Manager develops strategies for sales and margin growth and market share across ecommerce and stores; creates assortments and pricing structures; and manages department budgets, sales, gross margins, and profit goals. The role leads category reviews and vendor partnerships, develops Sprouts Brand products, oversees marketing plans and advertising, and provides merchandising direction and support to stores. This full-time position requires travel a few times a year and in-person work at the Sprouts Support Office in Phoenix, AZ three to five days per week.
Requirements
- Preferred bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
- At least 3 years of retail buying experience.
- Long-term strategic and financial planning skills.
- Excellent negotiation and relationship management abilities.
- Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and the Internet.
- Ability to preserve confidential information, communicate with all levels of management, and work within strict time frames and deadlines.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
- Retail buying experience of 3 or more years.
Responsibilities
- Develop category strategies to grow sales and margins and win market share, supporting broader Grocery or Frozen department and company strategies across ecommerce and stores.
- Create assortments and pricing structures to maximize sales and margin while minimizing spoilage.
- Develop and maintain department budgets, sales, gross margins, and profit goals.
- Lead category review processes with cross-functional teams and accelerate product innovation while balancing emerging brands with existing products.
- Lead joint business planning vendor partnerships and deepen collaboration with vendors and brokers.
- Develop customer-favorite products with the Sprouts Brand Team, aligning projects with category and department initiatives and industry trends.
- Oversee department marketing plans and advertising, including monthly and weekly flyers, and partner with shopper marketing and loyalty teams on vendor campaigns.
- Respond promptly to vendor, customer, and store-level issues as needed.
- Develop and communicate clear weekly merchandising plans and directives for stores.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with vendors and brokers.
- Liaise between Sprouts stores and vendors to support product quality and department standards.
- Provide direction to new and existing stores on department layouts, schematics, opening orders, programs, and training.
- Coordinate and source vendor participation for new store openings and resets.
- Conduct travel a few times a year for trade shows, vendor on-site meetings, or other business needs.
Benefits
- Competitive pay.
- Sick time plan for the employee or immediate family members’ health needs.
- Vacation accrual plan.
- Career growth opportunities.
- 15% discount on Sprouts purchases for the employee and one other household family member.
- Flexible schedules.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.
- Company-paid life insurance.
- Contests and appreciation events.
- Performance-based bonus, subject to eligibility.
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage, subject to eligibility.
- Health Savings Account with company match, subject to eligibility.
- Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care, subject to eligibility.
- Company-paid short-term disability coverage, subject to eligibility.
- Paid parental leave for mothers and fathers, subject to eligibility.
- Paid holidays, subject to eligibility.
- DailyPay access to earned wages for eligible employees.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
