Associate Category Manager

Job Brief

The principal purpose if this position is to increase sales and margins of their assigned categories while meeting the company goals for inventory control. The Category Manager will accomplish this by creating easily executable programs with high quality and high value merchandise that they will be responsible for from acquisition to final disposition.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports the development of the product assortment for Retail merchandise to support strategy goals. Supports the development and executes of the assortment strategy for the Retail channel
• Manages the Retail product life cycle (planning inventory, seasonal rolls, pre/post ad, execution of exit strategy)
• Conducts competitive analysis, pricing strategy, product offering, etc.
• Manages existing vendors (and their brokers as appropriate) to ensure a continuous flow of relevant product-line extensions, and a compelling calendar of promotional programs for the vendors’ core items in order to drive year-over-year sales
• Responsible for managing revenue and overall profits and losses (P&L) for assigned categories. Manages ongoing business through insight-led decision making, assortment optimization, category marketing, visual merchandising, and vendor management.
• Analyzes sales, margins, inventory levels, and purchasing trends to maximize profitability in the categories. Develop reports for evaluating the profitability of assigned categories.
• Overall Financial Responsibility including Sales, Margin, Inventory, Turns, Out of Stocks, EBITDAR, and Shrink Analysis
• Develops promotional calendars and products with specific key performance objectives and guidelines;
• Coordinates with field personnel and store managers for program implementations and measuring/meeting their needs;
• Updates plan-o-grams for existing programs and developing planograms for new programs. Develop rollout guides, training materials, and implementation plans for new products or programs. Track performance on all SKUs within the category. Conduct program or product tests as necessary.
• Negotiates buying contracts and obtains most advantageous pricing.
• Demonstrates category ownership by creating and defending all planogram category strategies and decisions with sound analytics.
• Manages day-to-day category vendor relations and growth opportunities.
• Develops long-term strategic objectives for the category based on detailed knowledge of category trends, competitors, consumer preferences and demographics, as well as sales and other relevant data.
• Manages product assortment, profitability, and sourcing activities for assigned categories.
• Conducts vendor reviews.
• Maximizes rebate income.
• Reviews existing vendors for movement of products, service level, and effectiveness of promotional activity. Uses monthly reports, in-person reviews etc. to increase efficiencies and suggest promotional activity.
• Handles negotiations with vendors on all conflicts or questions on prices, deliveries, specifications, etc.
• Interprets category strategies to determine appropriate implementation in order to meet consumer needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred or equivalent experience
• Two to three years in Retail Merchandising and Grocery Sales, Inventory Control and Planning, Marketing as it pertains to retail advertising or other relevant experience.
• Managing products effectively, product knowledge and understanding.
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes, SAP replenishment systems, SAP planning systems, BW reporting databases)Leadership and supervisory skills
• Effective relationship building with internal and external customers and suppliers;
• Negotiation and analytical skills required as well as effective problem solving ability;
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Must be able to communicate with and influence many cross-functional areas.
• Demonstrates effective analytical, critical thinking and organizational capabilities.
• Ability to interact with all levels of management, customers and peers.
• Effective project management skills.
• Exhibits a high degree of professionalism.
• Must be self-directed and highly motivated
• Must be able to be successful working on a Team, and Team planning.
• Travel can be up to 25%.