Develop and manage the national category strategy and consistently monitor performance to ensure objectives are met.
Develop short
and long-term category objectives aimed at driving the category to meet business growth and profitability targets.
Monitor and analyze category performance on a national, regional and market level.
Based on analysis, adjust category strategies as required to drive overall category performance, including sales growth.
Lead the effort to drive Exclusive Brand (EB) penetration across the category by ensuring EB products are primary considerations in the development and implementation of category strategy.
Measure customer and EB penetration of assigned category and benchmark against our industry.
Establish, maintain and grow relationships with suppliers and lead negotiation efforts.
Identify market, new product and category growth opportunities.
Manage vendor communications and consistently provide vendor performance feedback and resolve complex issues.
Work with suppliers on new, innovative products.
Work with Product Development and Commercialization Manage on innovations and supplier selection.
Manage overall category product assortment, to include the execution of assortment reviews, determining core SKUs, reviewing new vendor items, driving national assortment harmonization, and reducing product duplication.
Develop category level pricing strategies, continually reviewing pricing structure and implementing changes to maximize performance.
Collaborate with pricing analytics team on segment specific Sales Representative Cost (SRC) and Price to Customer (PTC).
Requirements
7 years of Category Management or related experience, including vendor management and pricing.
3 years of people management and/or leadership experience.
Ability to operate successfully in a matrix environment and work effectively across multiple groups and levels.
Solid quantitative and analytical skills and ability to work in a team setting, drive team results and support change management within the organization.
Possess, or be able to rapidly develop, a strong knowledge of products within assigned category and division sales requirements.
Ability to provide fact-based recommendations across various levels of management.
High degree of motivation, ability to prioritize and self-direct, strong business acumen and sound interpersonal skills.
Strong verbal, written and presentation skills.
Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Microsoft Outlook.