Associate Category Manager - Target

Job Purpose/Overview

The Associate Category Manager Position is responsible for providing support in managing category leadership solutions for Target for the Mars/Wrigley Confectionery businesses. This includes all non-seasonal Chocolate Candy, Non-Chocolate Candy, Gum, Mints, and Snacks. This role is expected to assist the Target Non-Seasonal Category Manager by mining data and insights that will support their key efforts and initiatives with Target. The preferred candidate would have strong analytical skills, a strong ability to utilize shopper insights, and develop a full understanding of our products, assortment, pricing, placement, shelving, promotion, and merchandising. As Target’s Confectionery Pricing and Promotional Captain, the associate must be excellent at building and maintaining strong relationships, both externally as well as internally to be successful.

Reporting to the Target Team Lead of Category Leadership, this role is part of the Category Leadership organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Target Non-Seasonal Category Manager to embed new shopper insights into Targets growth strategy, delivery and category vision to strengthen confectionery category thought leadership for customer centricity
• Maintain and increase category influence through customer ownership and superior category insights for non-seasonal business by working collaboratively with external/internal partners to develop, communicate, and implement a Customer Penetration plan for Target Confectionery business
• Lead the efforts in improving the fact-based selling skills by providing category data and insights development across the category team with an emphasis on the integration of shopper analysis.
• Consolidate insights and best practices, and proactively share with the customer and Target Category Team
• Play a significant role in the Target promotional planning process including analysis, recommendations and tracking
• Be comfortable with, and utilize, best in class category tools and resources to uncover solid category insights. Tools include, but are not limited to the following: Nielsen, syndicated and panel database resources, POS data, space management software, Nielsen ASO Incrementality tool, market research findings, etc.
• Evaluate/ monitor all customer category leadership solutions, turn analysis into recommended action and continually improve to be more effective and efficient for category and Target
• Must be able to confidently present to internal and external leadership business partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 1-3 years of experience in Sales, Category Management, or Shopper Insights
• 1 year of business analytics experience
• Experience in CPG and/or retail
• Experience working with syndicated data software (i.e., IRI or Nielsen)
• Experience working with Microsoft Office programs specifically Excel and PowerPoint
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to manage cross functional/multi task projects
• Solid written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities and meet deadlines
• The ability to travel of 5% of the time
• Successful completion of a drug and background screen

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3 years of experience in Sales, Category Management, or Shopper Insights
• Experience working in Assortment Planning or Space Management Software (i.e. Apollo, Intercept, etc.)
• Experience with promotional, non-promotional, and pricing strategy development
• Sales experience would be a plus, but not required
• Solid knowledge of Shopper Insights and Strategy
• Experience in project development and partnering with large strategic retail customers
• Advanced data mining experience including shopper loyalty card and household panel data
• Advanced degree

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