National Category Director - Fresh Meat

Albertsons Companies • Pleasanton, CA

5d • $135,800 - $190,100

About The Position

Albertsons Companies is hiring a National Category Director to strategically manage assigned Fresh categories, particularly Meat and/or Seafood, across the organization. The role leads category development and planning to meet sales, profit, and market-share targets at both national and market levels, partnering with market merchants, replenishment teams, suppliers, and cross-functional leaders. The director serves as the subject matter expert for assigned categories and develops category knowledge spanning trends, innovations, consumer preferences, regional differences, and competitor activity.

The position is based in one of the listed market offices or the national headquarters in Boise, Idaho, with travel required to meet market teams and suppliers; travel may be up to 40%, depending on location. The role reports to a Vice President - National Merchandising and ultimately through the Group Vice President of Fresh.

The director develops pricing, promotion, and assortment strategies; leads category planning; negotiates with suppliers alongside the National Director of Replenishment; monitors supplier performance and supply plans; and communicates negotiation outcomes to markets. The position uses data and analytics to monitor category performance, create projections, manage promotional plans, analyze results, and translate insights into business actions. It also works across internal teams to develop solutions, support inclusive collaboration, mentor and develop merchandising talent, and foster a culture of learning, innovation, and accountability.

Requirements

• Deep department and category expertise and experience in Fresh categories, particularly Meat and/or Seafood.
• Field or relevant business experience providing a solid understanding of marketing, merchandising, consumer research, and financial management.
• Excellent understanding of store operations, merchandising methodologies and practices, P&L, and financial management.
• Strong quantitative, marketing, merchandising, and consumer research background, including ability to interpret how internal and external factors influence financial results.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills; initiative and sound, decisive judgment.
• Strong planning, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills to build and maintain effective relationships inside and outside the company.
• Strategy development skills and a proven track record as a strong negotiator.
• Skill in category business planning and ability to lead collaborative processes with multiple stakeholders.
• Understanding of procurement, logistics, and inventory management.
• 5–10+ years of retail merchandising/category management and operations experience, including perishable and non-perishable products and programs.
• 3–5+ years of market- or national-level retail Meat and/or Seafood operations, merchandising/category, marketing, and finance experience.
• Demonstrated success collaborating across functional areas, including markets, senior leadership, replenishment, and vendor partners.
• Experience leading large-scale projects across multiple retail locations.
• Proven ability to lead and influence others with and without direct authority.
• Ability to create an environment that fosters learning, teaching, growth, risk-taking, and innovation.
• Ability to balance multiple stakeholders’ needs while maintaining executive-level partnerships.
• Self-motivation, accountability for results, and commitment to lifelong learning and personal development.
• Demonstrated record as a proactive, trusted organizational advisor and leader on strategic issues.
• Ability to interpret research objectively, extract insights, link them to strategies, and communicate them in a motivating way.
• Ability to implement innovative plans in response to business and consumer challenges and gain support from Market Management Teams.
• Ability to identify root causes through strategic and tactical questioning and motivate others to address them.
• Willingness to travel up to 40%, depending on location.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency with merchandising tools such as OMNI, IRI, Nielsen, Mintel, Periscope, Demand Tech, I2E, BI Dashboards, and GOLD.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Advanced degree, such as an MBA.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage category development strategies and lead planning activities for assigned Fresh categories.
• Strategically manage Meat and Seafood categories to meet sales, profit, and market-share targets nationally and within markets.
• Create and implement category strategies and tactics, including pricing, promotions, and assortment, using an analytical planning process and collaboration with markets and functional leaders.
• Lead category planning with national and market merchants and serve as the company subject matter expert for assigned categories.
• Research category trends, innovations, competitors, consumer preferences, and regional differences.
• Make critical category decisions while incorporating market considerations and input from functional teams.
• Conduct company-wide supplier negotiations with the National Director of Replenishment, including annual planning costs, funding, and supply agreements.
• Act as the primary vendor contact for category strategies and tactics; meet with vendors and attend key vendor meetings.
• Develop supplier joint category development plans where applicable, evaluate supplier performance, and plan sources and rotations of supply with the National Director of Replenishment.
• Communicate negotiation outcomes to markets to support promotional events and local advertising.
• Maintain weekly, quarterly, and yearly category scorecards tracking sales, profit, and market share.
• Oversee use of merchant tools for category analysis and collect and synthesize inputs from functional teams and market merchants for merchandising plans.
• Manage category promotional plans to maximize vendor-dollar efficiency across markets.
• Create category sales and profit projections and conduct post-promotional analysis at item and category levels.
• Identify issues and opportunities, translate analysis into retail actions, and use data to drive decisions.
• Collaborate with national and market merchandising and replenishment leaders and integrate market needs into category business plans.
• Work with cross-functional teams, including Own Brands and Operations, to identify opportunities and develop strategic and tactical solutions.
• Build team morale and motivation through training, mentorship, performance goals, communication, and constructive feedback.
• Foster a diverse and inclusive work environment and incorporate perspectives from associates and leaders across the organization.
• Develop merchandising talent through professional materials, learning opportunities, training programs, and leadership development practices.

Benefits

• Competitive wages paid weekly.
• Access to up to 50% of earned wages before payday through Stream.
• Associate discounts.
• Medical, dental, 401(k), and other health and financial well-being benefits for eligible associates.
• Vacation, holidays, and sick pay, subject to eligibility requirements.
• Training, career growth, and development.
• Inclusive work environment with colleagues who reflect the communities served.
• Benefits may include vision, disability and life insurance, PTO/vacation pay or flexible time off, paid holidays, bereavement pay, and retirement benefits, including pension and/or 401(k) eligibility.
• Associates in this position may be eligible for a quarterly bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed