Category Development Manager

Our client, a top food manufacturer and leader in their portfolio, is currently seeking a Category Development Manager to work side by side with their top partner retailer, Kroger. Position based in Cincinnati (hybrid) - flexible on base salary for the right talent!The CATEGORY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, VENDOR ADVISOR , will be responsible using numerous data sources to create unbiased insights and recommendations to Kroger USA on how to optimize total Category performance. The incumbent will work closely with all levels of the Kroger Category Team and operate across all categories to establish themselves as a critical resource in supporting the key decisions of Kroger around Assortment, Promotion, and Merchandising. Working daily with the Kroger Team, you will quickly become a key resource to the execution of the annual plan for total in-store categories by providing expert category knowledge on performance, innovation, market insights and trends leveraging both POS and consumer data. Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA and reporting into the SVP of Marketing and Category Development, this is a terrific opportunity for a technically gifted analytical leader with the intellectual horsepower to drive insight-based thinking and actions. The Proximity to the Kroger Team demonstrates Kroger's commitment to the successful development of the role within our client's Brands and an opportunity for the right individual to establish the playbook for success! Excellent accelerated career growth with leadership training, highly competitive compensation and bonus package! Health & Welfare Benefits including Vision & Dental and flexible options at competitive premiums • 401k matching program • Discount program - Restaurants, gyms, shopping, etc. • Tuition reimbursement Primary Responsibilities • Provides expert category knowledge on performance, innovation, market insights, trends and shopper and consumer insights. • Creates on-going reporting (weekly monthly quarterly) to track and interpret performance while drawing insights that lead to actionable category development recommendations. • Works closely and builds a trusted partnership with Kroger Category Team Members to provide objective recommendations and become category expert. • Supports the analytics and development of Kroger Planogram recommendations based on the Kroger Planogram Schedule, while adhering to tight timelines • Identifies Regional Development opportunities to strengthen Kroger's performance in key markets. • Presents recommendations to Kroger that optimize category performance. • Identifies assortment opportunities, shelf (or table) allocations and adjacency recommendations of planograms. • Provide postmortems and tracking of programs or merchandising tests, including seasonal programs that lead to future recommendations. • Works closely with the 84.51 Team to identify the analytical best practices, while maximizing utility and advanced analytic reporting capabilities. • Respects the confidentiality of Kroger Vendor Advisor-ship and competitive data. Required Experience: • Demonstrated ability in sales analytics, category management to formulate recommendations • Minimum 5 years CPG experience. • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities. • Significant Experience in Using the 84.51 Platform (Stratum) to support Kroger growth strategies. • A high-level expert in all Microsoft Office Suite tools, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. • Strong proficiency to pull data within Market 6, Circana(IRI), and Numerator. • Proven expertise in building user-friendly tools and reports that help bring data to life. • Ability to distill vast amounts of data into the critical business insights. • Superb communication skills across all levels of the organizations. • An incredible attention to detail, especially as it relates to data accuracy. • Previous experience in presenting complex analytics to a senior level audience. • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with flexibility and tolerance of change. • Education - Bachelor's Degree Required • Up to 15% Travel within USAJoin this highly successful team with exceptional fresh and frozen portfolio!Please send qualified resume to: Wertman, Vice President, Judge Executive Search151 S. Warner Road, Suite 100, Wayne, PA 19087 | cell (610)

Created: 2024-11-01