Category Manager

Job Summary - Duties/Responsibilities

Job Summary:

The Category Manager will help build strategy and execute plans to increase Box Partners category expansion and overall item assortment to drive revenue and contribution growth annually. The role would be instrumental in managing key supplier relationships in strategic categories and annual contract
negotiations including marketing support and volume rebates. The Category Manager will be paramount in developing and driving category performance metrics (sales and profitability) as well as providing key industry market insights to the organization. To be an effective Category Manager at Box Partners one would need to link the market, suppliers, marketing, procurement, and sales together to deliver outstanding product and category expansion.
 

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Identify industry and consumer trends through analytical research and robust data insights
• Devising short and long-term development strategies for categories and products within
• Developing exit strategies for unsuccessful products
• Facilitate quarterly business reviews with top suppliers including line review performance
• Identify key drivers of profitability in supply transactions. Activate business levers to affect category sales growth and profitability.
• Provide analytical insights to identify business opportunities on contract price variances, cost reductions and customer SKU rationalizations.
• Negotiate volume and marketing support rebate programs
• Lead the continuous training/development of the Category Development team. Provide constructive support and direction to others on the team. Transfer knowledge and training to all members to enhance their understanding as well as the customer.
• Explore and develop adjacent supplier programs and capabilities that enhance overall category performance

Supervisory Responsibilities

• The Category Manager will eventually be responsible for leading a small team of Product Specialists that will help execute and manage the strategy by category outlines.
• Leading this team will include lean daily management and goal setting with performance management.

Required Skills/Abilities, Education and Experience

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrate project leadership skills, with the ability to prioritize and deliver on multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Deliver problem solving concepts and solutions to internal and external customers.
• Advanced presentation skills with ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to internal customers and with supplier community.
• Excellent attention to detail and high degree of accuracy, advanced written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-starter and creative problem solver with ability to work both independently and within a team.
• Ability to influence and negotiate with suppliers on complex contracts.
• Ability to lead and manage a small team, possibly in multiple locations.
• High level ability working with Microsoft products Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Education and Experience:

• Work History Requirements:
  • 5-10 years in a supplier relationship role, negotiating contracts and agreements. Distribution experience preferred.
  • 3-5 years’ experience managing people
• Education Requirements:
  • Bachelor’s degree, with concentration in business or finance preferred.
  • Or associate degree with 5-7 years relevant industry and work experience

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Other duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.