Fresh Food Category Manager

bp•Louisville, KY

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Fresh Food Category Manager, you will be responsible for driving profitable growth across the Hot Food, Bakery, Roller Grill, & Deli categories for BP Products N.A. Inc. This role involves developing and implementing strategic plans, leading a category specialist team, optimizing product assortments, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance the customer experience and achieve commercial objectives.

Requirements

Proven experience in retail category management, specifically within fresh food and/or dispensed beverages.
Strong analytical thinking skills with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
Demonstrated commercial acumen and a track record of driving profitable growth.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Proficiency in customer data knowledge and data visualization and interpretation tools.
Experience with partner relationship management and supplier negotiations.
Ability to apply agility core practices in a fast-paced environment.
Understanding of retail territory development principles.
Experience with digital collaboration tools and practices.
Knowledge of industry trends and advocacy within the fresh food and beverage sectors.
Customer-centric thinking with a focus on enhancing the customer experience.
Ability to facilitate knowledge sharing and provide effective retail training.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement comprehensive category strategies for fresh food aligning with overall business goals and customer needs.
Conduct in-depth analytical thinking and leverage customer data knowledge to identify market trends, consumer insights, and competitive landscapes.
Utilize data visualization and interpretation skills to present findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
Manage supplier relationships through effective negotiation planning and preparation, and partner relationship management to secure advantageous terms and product innovations.
Drive commercial acumen by monitoring category performance, analyzing sales data, and implementing corrective actions to improve profitability and market share.
Champion customer-centric thinking by understanding customer preferences and behaviors to inform product development and merchandising decisions.
Lead retail category management initiatives, including assortment planning, pricing strategies, and promotional activities.
Contribute to retail territory development by identifying new opportunities and optimizing existing offerings.
Facilitate knowledge sharing within the team and across the organization regarding category guidelines and market intelligence.
Engage in digital collaboration tools and practices to streamline workflows and enhance team efficiency.
Leverage retail training skills to educate store personnel on product knowledge, merchandising standards, and sales techniques.
Stay abreast of industry knowledge and advocacy, anticipating future trends and challenges.
Demonstrate agility core practices in responding to market changes and adapting strategies as needed.
Ensure effective communication with internal and external partners, fostering strong working relationships.