Director, Center Store

Heritage Grocers Group•Addison, TX

About The Position

Reporting to the Chief Merchandising Officer, the Director, Center Store has oversight to center store categories in terms of itemization, innovation and financial performance. Center Store categories include, but are not limited to, Grocery, Beverage, Beer/Wine, Liquor, Dairy, Deli, Frozen Foods, HBA and General Merchandise. The Director of Center qualifies vendors, evaluates bids, and negotiates prices and terms for purchased goods and services. The role is responsible for organizing and articulating the near and long-term strategic vision of the department and communicating that vision across the organization. The Role is also responsible for daily management of the department team of Category Managers, Purchasing Assistants, as well as a dotted line leadership of the schematics, replenishment, merchandising and support teams. The Role requires direct management of some categories.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business or related field or equivalent work experience, preferred.
Five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in product negotiation and procurement.
Knowledge of supplier and logistic systems, as well as knowledge of the federal grade/product standards and regulations.
Understanding of store operations and merchandising methodologies and practices.
Ability to integrate with local management, be part of a team, and drive business results.
Ability to be persuasive and relentless in reinforcing the best interests of the Company.
Effective communicator, particularly when it comes to discussing Human Resources/Compliance matters with management or the department.
Ability to work well under pressure and multitask.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities

General oversight of the performance of the Center Store Department's Category Management Team.
Negotiate costs, promotions, assortment and other metrics with vendors/suppliers for assigned categories of products managed.
Analyze sales and profit performance for assigned categories and suppliers/vendors and make appropriate business decisions related to results as well as for the entire department.
Assist procurement team in appropriate inventory management and creation of purchase orders for products handled through our self-distribution process. Negotiate favorable costs and terms.
Dedicate appropriate time and effort into the innovation of assortment and merchandising for assigned categories and the department overall.
Responsible for driving sales growth with new items and promotions.
Complete full Category Review Process with all assigned categories minimally once per year.
Accountable to full financial performance of assigned categories and the financial performance of the entire department.
Provide strong customer service to Team Members.
Manage relationships with Strategic Vendor Partners and garners support (financial, resources) to sustain the strategic vision.
Develop Category Business Plans (CBP) for managed categories.
Work collaboratively with all Team Members to create effective vendor relationships; establish strategic relations with key suppliers and manage vendor funding to drive profitable category growth.
Approve section sizes and adjacencies in schematic plans for individually managed categories.
Assist with creation of business case for capital expenditures (shelving, fixtures, and store layout) to present to Senior Management.
Provide daily performance and administrative leadership of the department team.
Perform other duties as assigned.