Senior Category Insights Analyst

Advantage Solutions•St. Louis, MO

18h•$93,100 - $121,000•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Category Insights Analyst serves as a strategic business partner to national clients generating $20M+ in retail sales within a designated regional market. The role delivers actionable consumer, category, and marketplace insights to diagnose business challenges, identify growth opportunities, and improve sales performance. Working with Sales and Category Analytics & Insights teams, the analyst analyzes multiple data sources, develops reporting solutions, and turns complex information into business recommendations. The analyst is a subject matter expert in syndicated consumption data and supports internal and external stakeholders’ data-driven decisions. The role may also provide guidance and mentorship to Business Intelligence Analysts and contribute to process improvements, reporting enhancements, and data quality initiatives. The company is a North American sales and marketing agency providing outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services for manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of consumer-packaged goods across a wide range of retail channels. Its mission is to bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers by bringing products to consumers. No regular travel is required. The position has no direct reports; it may provide project-based guidance, mentorship, and analytical support to Business Intelligence Analysts and other team members.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Three to five years of experience in CPG, retail analytics, category management, or related fields.
Experience with syndicated data and retail performance metrics required.
Expertise in transforming data into actionable business insights.
Strong experience with syndicated data platforms, including NIQ and Circana.
Proficiency in data visualization and reporting tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Looker.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex analyses clearly.
Strong storytelling and influence skills to make recommendations that drive business results.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to collaborate with clients, customers, and internal sales partners to influence decisions with fact-based insights.
Understanding and application of category leadership practices, including assortment, pricing, promotion, shelving, and shopper considerations.
No regular travel is required; travel and driving are not essential duties or functions of the job.

Nice To Haves

Category Management certification preferred.
Experience with analytics and database tools such as Alteryx or MS Access preferred.
Professional Category Management Certification such as CMA, CKMG, TPG, or Delta Associates is a plus.

Responsibilities

Monitor business performance and identify opportunities, risks, and trends.
Deliver actionable insights that support sales strategies and improve market execution.
Partner with Sales and Category Analytics & Insights teams to optimize business performance.
Support the development of retail trade and promotional pricing recommendations.
Conduct pre- and post-promotion analysis to evaluate effectiveness and return on investment.
Provide insights to improve trade efficiency and promotional execution.
Analyze syndicated, customer, shipment, and market data for business reviews and category recommendations.
Develop customer-specific selling stories and strategic presentations.
Design, develop, and maintain standardized and ad hoc reports.
Identify reporting needs and deliver analyses using multiple data sources.
Translate complex data into business implications and recommendations.
Manage multiple projects and priorities, coordinate timelines, monitor progress, and resolve issues.
Build relationships with clients, customers, and internal teams and present insights to support business decisions.
Serve as a trusted advisor on category, consumer, and market trends.
Support development and implementation of reporting tools and analytical processes.
Maintain data integrity and promote reporting and analytics best practices.
Provide project guidance and mentorship to junior analysts as needed.
Use syndicated, panel, client, and geodemographic data and market research to identify actionable solutions.
Develop and present insight-driven thought leadership that integrates category, consumer, and shopper insights with quantifiable action plans.
Analyze categories, macro-trends, competitive landscapes, pricing, promotion, assortment, space management, and shopper trends to drive insights into action.
Consult with cross-functional teams on business-building strategies and tactics.
Establish trust and rapport with internal and external partners to accomplish business objectives.