Category Manager

Bimbo Bakeries USA•Chicago, IL

1d•$94,300 - $122,600•Remote

About The Position

The Category Manager is a professional who is the subject matter expert on shelving/ assortment management and analytics and in understanding consumer and category trends. This role is grounded in insights and acts in the best interest of the category. The Category Manager is part of a dynamic and diverse functional team working to increase the utility of various category management tools through training, establishing processes, and sharing of best practices. This job plays a critical role in BBU’s broader Account Sales Team and will proactively influence how BBU Wins at the Shelf. Ultimately, this role exists to create short- and long-term value to its assigned retailers and BBU.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing or Business related field.
5+ years of customer facing experience in the CPG industry and Category Management.
Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
Proven experience converting data into logical, actionable strategies.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Comfortable presenting to Customers and Senior Executives.
Highly motivated self-starter with strong project management skills, capable of multi-tasking in a matrix organization.
Thorough understanding of POS and Panel data, and experience with retailer shopper card data sets.
Experience managing people, including the creation of development plans and defining accountabilities.
Strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of products, i.e. Excel and PowerPoint, and of space management software, i.e. JDA or Apollo.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Grocery and Mass channel experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Proactively identify and lead category management initiatives that drive category growth while increasing BBU’s sales, share, and profits. This should include interpreting shopper and category insights, optimizing product assortment, evaluating product placement, and proposing solutions to improve overall category performance.
Serve as the Category Management expert and advisor to leadership. Influence decisions makers by reviewing and analyzing shelf space opportunities, as well as current business trends and category performance within the market and industry.
Responsible for leading and delivering space management projects for all assigned customers.
Proactively communicating and working with Account Sales Team, Brands, Business Units, and RGM on assortment opportunities, including void closures, at risk items, innovation, and core assortment
Build and maintain long-term relationships with assigned retailers. Leverage insights and recommend action plans for assigned retailers by developing persuasive fact-based sales presentations that leverage customer, industry, market and competitive information
Maintain frequent and fluid communication with internal and external stake holders regarding projects, insights, and/or opportunities, for self and for the team.
Build and maintain reporting, as well as communicate findings gleaned from them.
Other duties as assigned.