Senior Category Manager - Tobacco/OTP

7-Eleven, Inc.•Irving, TX

48d

About The Position

Manage the strategic development and planning for assigned category, as a subset of a larger group of categories led by the Senior Category Manager. Ensure category sales plans are consistent with the overall Merchandising strategy. Promote and verify execution of category strategy at the store and ensure that the category fits into the total store perspective.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree
5-7 years of relevant work experience
2+ years of management experience
Strong Analytical Skills
Effective Communication
Negotiating Experiences
Understanding of Financial Methodology to determine costs and to develop annual business plan.

Responsibilities

Manages, improves and recommends the product assortment for the stores on a national basis for assigned category.
Develops annual category plans which include current situation analysis, vision/strategy, and specific category plans. Plans include assortment and positioning, product improvements and development plans, projected revenue and gross profit, display, price, promotion and communication to stores.
Drill plans down into seasonal calendars, monthly implementation plans, and recurring assortment change calendars.
Performs monthly analysis and verification of plans.
Provides explanations for variances in budgeted sales and gross profit and provides projection for upcoming months.
Develops an in-depth understanding of the key strategic initiatives and policies of merchandising and ensures assigned category strategies are within Merchandising and Corporate strategy and policy.
Develops pricing strategy for assigned categories.
Develops recommended retail pricing guidelines (which are subject to executive committee approval) for the stores to optimize category profitability and establishes suggested retail prices within these guidelines.
Reviews competitor pricing information gathered by Zone Merchandising Leaders, Merchandisers and pricing group and recommends pricing.
Approves pricing recommendations made by Associate Category Manager.
Works with Marketing Department on advertising/promotions for assigned category.
Works on POP, co-op agreements and promotion timetables and strategies.
Develops cost/benefit analysis to determine return on advertising and promotional dollars.
Identifies leverage opportunities with vendors and negotiates contracts (working with Procurement), supply agreements and/or programs to achieve the lowest possible acquisition costs (cost of goods) for products selected for the categories on an ongoing basis.
Identifies new suppliers to distribute products through CDC and works with Logistics and Procurement in negotiating quality expectations, reduced product costs, etc. with supplier at the senior management level.
Works with suppliers and/or other SEI managers to stabilize product supply through forecasting of key products and working with Logistics to solve issues.
Reviews and works with Logistics group and manufacturers to resolve out-of-stock issues.
Develops and maintains effective working relationships with representatives and senior management of national suppliers.
Meets with national vendors on a regular basis to discuss new product development and ways to lower costs.
Works with Logistics and Senior Management of key suppliers to ensure that we are meeting our goals with regard to Business Transformation and other Logistics model priorities for 7-Eleven (this includes strategic initiatives based on the product(s)' current method of distribution and potential recommended changes.)
Owns the strategic Product Assortment direction and guidelines for assigned categories. Guides Category Manager, Associate Category Managers and Merchandisers in the development of the schematics.
Gathers input from the Merchandisers into regional assortment needs.
Performs narrowing (SKU rationalization) of assigned categories and works with suppliers to narrow products supplied to stores.
Manages the product develop process for assigned categories (including Team Merchandising)
Manages the implementation of field tests for new products and categories.
Oversees verification of tests performed by Merchandisers and determines next course of action based upon verification results.
Reviews solicitations from potential suppliers to determine if potential product is viable for 7-Eleven.
As lead for the assigned categories, owns communication of key strategic initiatives across Merchandising Senior leadership Zone Leaders and other key leadership positions.
Manages day to day communication of key messaging to assigned categories across Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, Logistics and other related groups.