Produce Category Manager

About The Chefs' Warehouse
The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (http://www.chefswarehouse.com) combines exceptional quality and brand building with broadline food service distribution for more than 35 years. With Protein, Specialty, Produce, and Broadline offerings, we service the most discerning chefs in a hybrid approach of convenience and superior quality. We introduce more than 2,000 artisan producers of the world’s finest ingredients from over 40 countries to the finest chefs in the world. We passionately consult, sell, and build relationships with more than 35,000 customers through the most experienced network of over 600 consultive sales associates, best-in-breed technology, rapid service, and support levels that solidify our long-standing ties to both established and up-and-coming premium restaurants.

Mission: The mission of The Chefs’ Warehouse is to provide the world’s greatest ingredients to the world’s best chefs.

Our C.H.E.F.S. Values:
Curious & Creative
Hungry For Food & Results
Entrepreneurial
Forward Thinking & Flexible
Supportive (Of Peers & Chefs)

Salary Range: $100k-$120k
Category Manager – Produce

Position Summary:
Processes to enable our Sales team to understand and have the best/most appropriate products available for the Produce Category

What You’ll Do:

• Introducing successful New Products locally that are onboarded nationally when applicable.
• Support Sales Training and Food Show activities
• Identify successful single-region products to advance the growth of the category.
• Develop and coordinate monthly sales promotions in alignment with Marketing schedule, RVP, Purchasing team and Director of Produce sourcing
• Develop & implement local go to market strategy for growth acceleration of the Produce Category
• Evaluate inventory stock against forecast and shelf life, identify opportunities to reduce excess inventory through transfers within network, promotions and bulk sale opportunities.
• Develop and lead a team of Produce Specialists to assist our Sales team in growth initiatives.

Activities to ensure the development of Private Labels within this category to drive competitive advantage.

• Identify innovative products and potential local suppliers.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Director of Produce Sourcing to maximize value to the company.
• Rationalization of like/similar and special products within the company’s portfolio based on performance, velocity and customer interest.
• Regionally when applicable

Supplier Negotiations for the managed category in Partnership with the Director of Produce Sourcing:

• Achieving Target/Market-leading Costs
• Developing Rebate and other program development
• Securing Supplier Promotional Support
• Improving Payment/Cash Cycle Term.

Supplier compliance activities for the managed category.

• Legal documentation.
• Specification sheets & supplier catalogs.
• Food Safety, etc.

Cross-Functional Collaboration with:

• Logistics & Purchasing Teams: Set strategies and tactics for inventory procurement and movements with individuals accountable for daily execution.
• Supply Chain Managers: Collaborate to incorporate regional and local strategies and tactics for inventory levels, product loss/expiration, product availability, new product introduction and product rationalization.
• Operations: Implement local go to market strategies to accelerate growth of the produce category from penetration opportunities to new business development, storage and handling training

About You:
Extensive experience with and knowledge of the category.

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university preferred.
• Previous food service distribution experience strongly preferred.
• Previous produce category management experience strongly preferred.
• Must be a team player with a positive attitude.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills.
• Self-starter, professional, goal oriented and able to handle multiple tasks.
• Must have a sense of urgency and be able to work under pressure, be comfortable in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Flexible with the ability to work well with all departments and levels of staff both internally & externally.

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The above job description is not an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Perks & Benefits:

• Paid Vacations, Paid Holidays
• Health, Dental and Medical Benefits
• Weekly pay
• Life Insurance
• 5% above cost for our high-quality food products
• Employee discounts for travel and events
• 401k

The Chefs' Warehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.