Field Category Manager

Circle K•Charlotte, NC

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Field Category Manager supports national and regional strategic direction, taking ownership of local assortment and planogram execution. This role is responsible for frontline pricing decisions (within promotional guidance), vendor operations, local relationships, and planogram implementation, including managing third-party relationships. The position also involves generating actionable operational reports such as Out of Stock, Zero Sales Reporting, and Delivery Frequency. The Field Category Manager selects local vendors, negotiates costs and terms, and develops schematics by applying category management principles aligned with national and regional objectives. They contribute to increasing sales revenues by developing promotional concepts and overlay programs for the local assortment, and by accomplishing financial and Key Result Area targets. Fostering positive relationships between National, Regional, Business Unit, and Operational teams is crucial. The role supports pilot/testing activities, including communication and results tracking. Gross margins are established and monitored through forecasting annual sales quotas, projecting sales volume and profit, and determining placement and promotions. Category sales and gross profit results are projected and measured by maintaining records of item cost, retail, and gross margin. External vendor relations are maintained through direction, guidance, and issue resolution. Recommendations for product, service, and policy changes are made based on results and competitive developments. Financial objectives are achieved by preparing annual category reviews, budgets, scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, and initiating corrective actions. Program costs are allocated by preparing operational and risk reports for analyses that align with National and Regional Merchandising. Professional and technical knowledge is maintained through continuous learning and networking.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in advertising, business, or related field preferred.
Other combinations of job-related experience and education that meet the requirements may be substituted.
Five years of experience or more preferred; including a minimum of three years of management responsibility.
Expertise in MS Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word preferred.
Must have strong relationship management, analytical thinking, and financial acumen skills.
May require up to 30% of travel.
Valid driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

Supports national and regional strategic direction.
Responsible for local assortment and planogram execution.
Owns frontline pricing decisions (with promotional guidance from National or Regional for floor/ceiling).
Responsible for vendor operations and local relationships.
Responsible for planogram implementation – resets (including all 3rd party relationships).
Responsible for actionable operational reporting (Out of Stock, Zero Sales Reporting, Delivery Frequency, and others as necessary).
Selects local vendors, negotiates costs, terms for products, and develops schematics by applying category management principles in accordance with the departments' National and Regional strategic objectives.
Increases sales revenues by developing promotional concepts and overlay programs on local assortment.
Contributes to team effort by accomplishing Financial and Key Result Area targets pursuant to Company plan guidelines.
Foster positive relationships between the National, Regional and Business Unit team and Operational team.
Supports pilots/testing activities, including preparation and delivering communication materials.
Tracks results and feedback to the appropriate team.
Establishes and monitors gross margins by forecasting and developing annual sales quotas, projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new products and determining placement and promotions.
Projects and measures category sales and gross profit results by developing and maintaining records of item cost, retail, and gross margin dollars.
Maintains external local and national vendor relations by providing direction, guidance, and information, resolving concerns.
Recommends changes in products, service, and policy by evaluating results and competitive developments.
Achieves financial objectives by preparing an annual category review, budget, scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, initiating corrective actions.
Allocates program costs by preparing operational and risk reports for analyses aligning with the National and Regional Merchandising.
Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reading professional publications, establishing personal networks; or participating in professional societies.
Contributes to team effort by accomplishing determined Financial and Key Result Area targets pursuant to Company Plan guidelines.