Category Insights Manager - Strategic Channels

This role supports the Strat Channels Team, which includes Club (Costco, Sam’s, BJ’s), Drug (Walgreens, CVS), Convenience (7-11, Circle K, etc.), and Dollar (Aldi, Dollar General, etc.) National Channels of trade. The position strengthens customer planning, sales execution, and financial performance for the Consumer Products Business Unit sales team by leading Category/Business Reviews, Top-to-Top and Joint Business Planning sessions, bi-annual innovation reviews, omnichannel strategy integration, and new product presentations in collaboration with the Sales teams.

Responsibilities

• Analyze customer-specific information—including Circana syndicated data, internal Sargento data, and other loyalty data—to measure category and brand effectiveness and provide recommendations for improving customer category and brand growth and profitability.
• Provide analytical support for sales-related activities:
  • Develop annual category management information budget and recommend future resource needs.
  • Track and evaluate ongoing sales trends.
  • Support customer business planning and category reviews.
  • Optimize assortment and evaluate pricing and promotion effectiveness.
  • Drive new distribution and space management initiatives.
  • Monitor competitive activity and support demand planning.
  • Handle special projects and information requests as they arise.
• Analyze Nielsen or Circana syndicated data and internal Sargento data to measure category and brand effectiveness, providing recommendations for growing sales, distribution, and customer profitability.
• Support joint strategic planning with executive leadership for Sargento and customers by developing Top-to-Top meetings to elevate connectivity with senior leadership.
• Support eCommerce data analysis to identify trends and opportunities.
• Lead Category Captaincy with agency partners; collaborate closely with customer buying teams throughout the process, including final Planogram execution.
• Develop and maintain category management tools and information in collaboration with the category management team and by leveraging marketing and insights teams.
• Identify analytical support needs with the Sales Team by initiating processes to ensure agency analytical services are proactive and maintained.
• Support trade management efforts for improved accuracy by providing sales analysis that facilitates pricing and promotional efficiency.
• Develop customer relationships to enable Sargento to participate in or lead category management reviews, including assortment optimization for all assigned customers.
• Train and develop skill sets of agency analysts to meet Sargento demands for best-in-class category management practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university.
• Five plus years of CPG industry experience.
• Prior Category Management experience and/or Club Channel experience preferred.
• Planogram analysis preferred.
• Proficiency in Luminate, Nielsen, and/or Circana databases required.
• Experience leveraging insights to drive influence is required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Must be available for overnight travel (~25%) across customer areas of responsibility.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including fertility and adoption benefits.
• Employer 401K contribution in the top 1% of the nation.
• Relocation assistance.
• Tuition assistance.
• Access to Employee Store.

With over 2,400 employees and net sales of nearly $1.8 billion, Sargento is a family-owned company and a leader in cheese for more than 70 years. Based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sargento manufactures and markets shredded, sliced, and snack natural cheese products, as well as ingredients and sauces.