Executive Leader, Category Merchant – Frozen Team, Center Store

Amazon • Austin, TX

22h

About The Position

Provides leadership and oversight to the Category Management / Merchandising
function, including strategy development, innovation, definition and execution
of marketplace differentiators, key supplier partnerships and team development.
Responsible for the financial performance of the Category management /
Merchandising function. Accountable for all Category Management / Merchandising
strategic and operational decisions, including category management, purchasing,
and procurement and retail operations. Oversees team efforts to develop category
goals & strategies and product assortments through the lens of our core
customer, ensuring a strong mix of national brand product relevance,
best-in-class local product relevance, and best-in-class private label product
relevance - distinguishing Whole Foods Market from our competition. Responsible
for business financial performance.

Requirements

• Engages with other leaders to design, maintain and champion the mission, vision and strategy of the organization.
• Defines, develops and implements initiatives to enhance team and business performance.
• Develops deep, credible relationships with senior-level executives, both inside and outside current areas of responsibility.
• Serves as trusted advisor internally and externally from a Category Management, Merchandising, Procurement, and Supply Chain perspective.
• Engages with internal and external stakeholders to define, clarify and resolve issues related to supply management and performance expectations.
• Collaborates / liaises with marketing on relevant program and product strategies to support team and company initiatives.
• Engages with other leaders to formulate the organization’s long-term strategic direction.
• Defines strategies and approaches to empower and equip leaders to be effective in their interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Identifies gaps in strategic understanding, formulates resolution recommendations and delivers clear and compelling communication.
• Shifts comfortably between big picture strategic thinking and the tactics required to achieve outcomes.
• Influences broad organizational strategic direction and planning on a go-forward basis.
• Plans, estimates, staffs, organizes and monitors significant task and project activity.
• Identifies risks and vulnerabilities, creates contingency plans.
• Conducts regular and ad-hoc reviews with team, stakeholders, partners and customers.
• Oversees and advises other leaders on task- and project-related issues and assists with overcoming barriers.
• Demonstrates nuanced understanding of the WFM business, the grocery retail industry, and the business models of key strategic partners and competitors.
• Able to assess how key functions, processes and operating models impact the business; delivers recommendations on how to optimize.
• Able to “connect the dots” across markets, customers, partners and programs to identify interdependencies and long-term growth opportunities.
• Viewed as a thought leader within Merchandising organization.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent, or 8+ years of equivalent experience
• 5+ years of leadership experience
• 4+ years of people management experience
• Experience working with executive leadership in large organizations

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree or above

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and oversight to Category Management and Merchandising leaders and teams.
• Sets the strategic direction of a master category, serving as foundation for all work merchants perform.
• Contributes to, oversees and/or leads the design of category layout, category adjacencies and space allocation for both ongoing and new retail operations.
• Contributes to financial performance forecasting and overall Category Management / Merchandising strategic planning and priority setting.
• Contributes to strategic alignment between category merchants and/or buyers across regions and retail operations.
• Owns relationship management and strategic alignment with key supplier partners.
• Serves as a driving force for Merchandising evolution, incorporating multiple and diverse stakeholder needs into plans for continued progress.
• Drives strategically-focused and data-driven process improvement recommendations to leadership.
• Engages with customers, partners and other key external stakeholders to ensure mutual understanding of WFM principles, values, strategies and priorities.
• Aligns resources according to strategic objectives.
• Actively monitors and manages Merchandising in-season performance, driving issue resolution through team and elevating performance issues as required.
• Engages with senior internal stakeholders, including Marketing, Finance and Procurement, to ensure an integrated approach to ongoing operations.
• Addresses and resolves critical and/or sensitive customer, operational and other issues.
• Ensures ongoing open and informative communication across all Merchandising stakeholders.
• Coaches and develops their team.
• Builds a pipeline of talent, hires for all roles, develops those in role, and supports Team Member career progression.

Benefits

• health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage)
• 401(k) matching
• paid time off
• parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive