Category Manager Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent grocery industry experience.
• At least 6 years of professional experience.
• 5–7 years of grocery retail experience involving Produce merchandising, category management, pricing, promotions, and assortment planning.
• Demonstrated understanding of Produce merchandising, category analytics, seasonal planning, freshness management, shrink control, and promotional effectiveness.
• Maintain the highest level of customer service.
• Ability to adapt to a fast-changing, high-volume retail environment and work in a cross-functional team.
• Initiative and sound decision-making, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Flexibility, attention to detail, prioritization, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Excellent written communication, documentation, verbal communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to multitask and strong organizational skills.
• Ability to lead, support, and contribute to team goals.
• Ability to work varied hours and days as business dictates.
• Familiarity with health department guidelines and regulations for grocery retail.
• Familiarity with category business planning and an understanding of marketing and merchandising practices.
• Ability to read and interpret profit and loss statements and understand how managed categories affect results.
• People skills and patience for training and communicating with customers and stores.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in the natural foods industry.
• Strong Produce category knowledge, including seasonality, freshness standards, merchandising best practices, and consumer trends.
• Experience with financial, mathematical, statistical, and consumer research to interpret how internal and external factors influence financial results.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement pricing, promotion, assortment, and shelf schematics for assigned categories using performance analysis, industry practices, and consumer trends.
• Create annual category business plans and budgets based on company initiatives, consumer trends, and market trends.
• Negotiate and collaborate with vendors on pricing, assortment, promotions, advertising, services, promotional calendars, and support; serve as the primary vendor contact for assigned categories.
• Review category and department financials monthly and take action to meet sales, margin, and budget expectations.
• Ensure store inventory levels meet company standards and report inventory discrepancies.
• Manage category performance through assortment, merchandising, freshness, quality, and shrink-control strategies.
• Research vendors and products, request and analyze quotes, select products, authorize new items, and implement product placement.
• Develop and execute category plans covering assortment, merchandising, pricing, promotions, and seasonal strategies.
• Lead category merchandising initiatives, seasonal programs, and innovation efforts to drive sales, customer engagement, and market differentiation.
• Help ensure stores meet company and health-code standards.
• Attend key vendor planning meetings.
• Manage and implement special and seasonal items for new and existing stores.
• Design schematics and recommend category adjacencies.
• Analyze results after promotional periods to evaluate sales and profit performance.
• Maintain and review price files and competitive price checks.
• Support stores with shelf and display decisions and visit stores as needed to observe merchandising results.
• Communicate merchandising plans, advertising plans, price changes, projections, and other relevant information to stores, operations, vendors, support offices, and departments.
• Help train and develop store-level Department Managers and Operational Specialists.
• Work closely with procurement, distribution, operations, and supplier partners to execute strategies while maintaining optimal inventory and freshness.
• Coordinate with operations and other departments to implement programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Fresh Thyme Rewards
• Weekly pay
• Scheduling flexibility
• Paid parental leave
• Team member discount
• Career growth opportunities
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Incentive bonus opportunities
• Recognition programs
• Professional development