Category Analyst

Brief Description DEEP DIVE | CATEGORY ANALYST About Deep Dive Deep Dive is a business intelligence and insights agency where data meets creativity — and retail ideas come to life. We partner with retailers as category captains and trusted advisors to shape category and channel strategies that grow sales, market share, and shopper love.Think of us as an extension of the merchant team — your go-to crew for turning insights into action at retail. From planograms and reporting to data analytics, insights, and strategy building, we do it all under one roof. What drives us? Curiosity, collaboration, and a passion for retail. We ask questions, dig deeper, and listen closely to uncover what really moves shoppers. By blending the art and science of retail, we build merchandising strategies designed to win — in every aisle, every store, every day.As part of Market Performance Group (MPG) — a national leader in omnichannel strategy, commercialization, and retail services — we bring the scale, relationships, and expertise of a proven industry powerhouse, paired with the agility and entrepreneurial energy of a local team that loves what we do. We’re growing fast, and we’re looking for people who thrive on collaboration, creativity, and impact. If you love working with retailers, solving problems, and seeing your work come to life in real stores and digital aisles — you’ll fit right in. Position Overview We're looking for a motivated and analytical Category Analyst to support the category management team in driving growth and insights across our retail partners. In this role, you’ll turn data into meaningful stories — helping the team understand performance drivers, market trends, and shopper behaviors. You’ll work closely with Category Managers to provide data-driven recommendations that improve assortment, pricing, and promotional strategies. This position is based near Minneapolis, MN, and is a hybrid role. What You'll Do Analyze Category PerformancePull, organize, and interpret syndicated and retailer data (Nielsen, Circana, Numerator, Greenfield/VIQ) to evaluate category, brand, and item performance. Support Category StrategyPartner with Category Managers to assist in developing retailer-specific category strategies and business reviews. Build Reports & DashboardsMaintain and update regular reports, scorecards, and dashboards that track key sales and share metrics. Identify InsightsTranslate data into clear insights and visualizations that tell the story behind business trends and shopper behavior. Assortment & Merchandising SupportAssist in SKU productivity analysis, assortment recommendations, and planogram updates. Promotional & Pricing AnalysisSupport post-promotion evaluations and provide insights on pricing strategy effectiveness. What You Bring1–3 years of experience in data analytics, or shopper insights — preferably in the CPG industry.Familiarity with syndicated data tools (Nielsen, Circana, Numerator) and/or retailer data systems (Greenfield/VIQ etc.).Strong Excel skills; experience with Power BI, Tableau, or other visualization tools is a plus.CuriosityExcellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.Strong communication skills and the ability to present data in a clear, compelling way.A collaborative mindset and eagerness to learn within a fast-paced, team-oriented environment. Compensation The expected base salary range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000 annually, depending on experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this position may be eligible for performance-based bonuses and other compensation programs. Benefits MPG offers a generous package of health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, STD/LTD, paid maternity/paternity leave and life insurance. Our compensation program provides market industry base salary, bonuses, and 401K. In addition to paid holidays, we reward an employee’s extra efforts through unlimited paid time off.Equity and Inclusion We are committed to ensuring that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is a part of our DNA. We embrace the beauty in all of the unique qualities of our employees, communities and clients. MPG’s DEIB efforts empower us to collectively reach our full potential by fueling innovation, connection, and growth. We recognize the value of having a diverse and engaged team. We are an organization driven by PEOPLE. We believe that by leveraging the unique perspectives and experiences of our employees, MPG can unlock more comprehensive, innovative, and long-standing results for both our client and retailer partners. We will always strive for improvement and thus we have made intentional commitments to further champion DEIB. The foundation of our pledge starts with our promise to each other, our clients, and the community. Equal Opportunity & Accommodation It is MPG’s practice to provide and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex or gender, gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, family medical history, genetic information or other protected medical condition, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by and in accordance with applicable laws. We are dedicated to creating an accessible and inclusive application and selection process. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment or hiring process, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at talent.acquisition@mpgllc.com and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs. © 2026 Market Performance GroupAll rights reserved