Director, Category Management & Procurement

United Pacific•Long Beach, CA

About The Position

The Director of Category Management & Procurement will lead United Pacific’s category management and procurement functions, supporting a retail business with more than 600 convenience stores across the West Coast and Midwest. Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising, the Director will drive profitable growth by optimizing product assortments, pricing, promotions, vendor partnerships, and procurement outcomes. The role calls for deep retail-industry knowledge, strategic vision, analytical decision-making, and the ability to execute strategies in stores. The Director will use internal and syndicated external data to assess customer needs, market trends, and program performance; improve product costs and vendor funding through negotiations; and coordinate with operations, brand marketing, loyalty, and other stakeholders to execute retail programs. The position also owns the category management function’s monthly P&L, budgets, margin targets, and performance reviews, and presents category results and recommendations to executive management. Travel to stores is required as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience in procurement, category management, or merchandising in the convenience store industry, big-box retail, grocery, or another applicable retail environment.
At least 7 years in leadership roles, with a record of managing and developing high-performing teams.
Ability to inspire, motivate, and guide team members toward strategic goals.
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on long-term planning and execution.
Exceptional analytical skills and ability to interpret data to make informed business decisions.
Proven expertise negotiating with suppliers to secure favorable terms and build long-term partnerships.
Ability to understand customer and market needs and trends and translate them into product assortment, pricing, and placement strategies.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to collaborate across functions and present to executive leadership.
Strong financial acumen, including the ability to develop and manage budgets, analyze financial reports, and make data-driven decisions.
Ability to adapt to changing market conditions and business needs and proactively identify opportunities.
Proficiency in procurement and category management software and tools, and Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Ability to travel as needed.

Nice To Haves

MBA.

Responsibilities

Lead, innovate, and develop product assortment plans for more than 600 convenience stores across the West Coast and Midwest.
Use external syndicated data to identify trends, consumer behavior opportunities, and gaps in the retail offering.
Optimize store planograms and space planning to reflect market and customer trends and maximize sales revenue.
Manage the wholesale distributor partner relationship and ensure service levels and contractual obligations are met.
Monitor inventory levels and turns to reduce retail voids and minimize exposure to obsolete products.
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team that encourages creative thinking, proactive problem-solving, and results.
Oversee the private-label item mix value chain and identify opportunities to expand the portfolio.
Work with brand marketing and loyalty teams to curate offers that drive loyalty adoption and retention.
Identify technology opportunities to enhance the supply chain and develop forward-looking assortment plans.
Own the category management function’s monthly P&L and ensure financial targets remain on track.
Drive profitability through sales initiatives, cost strategies, promotional-investment ROI, and vendor funding.
Set department and team sales budgets and margin targets aligned with company growth plans; review results and adjust tactics when needed.
Prepare monthly and quarterly presentations on category result drivers and strategic recommendations for executive management.
Identify potential vendors, maintain vendor relationships, negotiate profitable contracts, and hold vendors accountable to agreed terms.
Travel to stores as needed to ensure satisfactory implementation of programs.
Participate in company-wide initiatives as needed.