Manager, Category Management

Utz Quality Foods is seeking a Manager, Category Management in Northwest Arkansas. The Manager, Category Management is critical in driving revenue growth and profitability across multiple product categories within the Salty Snacks division.

 

The Category Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping category strategies through data-driven insights, cross-functional collaboration, and strong customer engagement. This individual will work closely with marketing, sales, finance, and operations teams to optimize category performance, support key account initiatives, and strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

 

While this role does not include direct reports, it requires strong influence, analytical acumen, and a deep understanding of category dynamics, shopper behavior, and market trends. This is a remote position.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to develop and implement strategic plans that drive category growth and align with company objectives.
• Leverage consumer, shopper, and syndicated data to identify opportunities and risks within the category and provide actionable recommendations.
• Partner with sales teams to build fact-based, insight-driven customer presentations and influence retail decisions around assortment, shelving, pricing, and promotions.
• Support customer planning and joint business planning processes by providing data-driven category insights and strategies.
• Engage with key customers and stakeholders to understand business needs and align category strategies to mutual growth objectives.
• Collaborate with marketing on innovation launches, promotional plans, and shopper marketing initiatives to maximize impact at retail.
• Deliver executive-level reporting and presentations on category performance, highlighting key metrics such as share growth, profitability, and distribution opportunities.
• Act as a liaison between category management, sales, marketing, and operations to ensure alignment and flawless execution of category initiatives.
• Support corporate initiatives through ad hoc analyses, insights generation, and thought leadership across category management best practices.
• Deliver planograms that leverage insights from category trends by account and/or region that follow brand priorities to ensure a highly productive assortment for both on-shelf and display executions.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in category management, trade marketing, or related fields, ideally within FMCG/CPG environments.
• Experience leveraging syndicated data sources (e.g., Nielsen, IRI, Circana) and shopper insights to inform decisions.
• Comprehensive understanding of category management principles, consumer insights, and retail execution.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across functions and drive alignment toward common business goals.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate data into compelling insights and action plans.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at multiple levels of the organization and with external partners.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and visualization tools; experience with planogram/MOD tools preferred.

Our Recruitment Process ​

• Easy Application (5 mins): Introduce yourself and answer a few key questions to get started.​
• Engaging Chat Interview (20-25 mins): Share your experiences in an online chat, highlighting how your values align with ours.​
• Live Interview: Selected candidates will meet with us in order to explore their alignment with the team and overall Utz company culture.

 

Continuously Pursuing Excellence!​

Here at Utz, we have a passion for exciting and delighting consumers with delicious snack foods made from high quality ingredients.  After over a century with a strong family heritage, our diverse portfolio of brands includes Utz, Zapp’s, Boulder Canyon, and On the Border. Our associates are the reason for the success of this company, so it is important we provide a supportive, caring and inclusive environment that offers opportunities for career growth and advancement.  We also help take care of our associates by providing benefits, resources, and programs that ensure they live their healthiest lives.  Our benefit package includes medical, dental, and vision plans, an employer match 401k, profit sharing plan, employee stock purchase plan and much more.  Join our world class team and help us become the fastest growing pure-play U.S. snacking company of scale!

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Qualifications

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