Category Manager - Dairy

About the Role

Trader Joe’s is your favorite neighborhood grocery store with over 600 stores nationwide and growing. The company prides itself on offering delicious products and friendly conversation, aiming to be the first and favorite place to shop for customers.

The Category Manager – Dairy will be based in the Monrovia, CA office with an in‑office expectation of five days a week. This role is responsible for delivering on Trader Joe’s category vision for the dairy category, managing product value, selection, vendor relations, fulfillment measures, negotiations, and inventory quality.

Responsibilities

• Partner with merchandising leadership to set and achieve sales, margin, SKU count, and sales dollar/unit minimum targets.
• Serve as an expert in dairy category trends, procurement, and commodity pricing while offering a “WOW!” selection of everyday and seasonal dairy products.
• Support buyers to achieve fulfillment goals such as fill‑rate, time‑on‑shelf (TOS), and inventory quality.
• Manage vendors and the dairy supply chain to deliver value, stay informed about commodity costs and production capacity, and ensure vendors meet negotiated agreements and product quality standards.
• Collaborate with product development to diversify the vendor base and develop broker‑free relationships.
• Maintain a shopping list of new dairy products needed to make the category “WOW!” and develop/introduce new dairy products in a persuasive and informative manner.
• Work collaboratively with other departments across the organization.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in dairy, grocery, or refrigerated foods (or non‑refrigerated foods).
• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred; a four‑year college degree or equivalent is preferred.
• Vast knowledge of dairy products, commodity markets, and product development.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Comfort with retail‑based mathematics and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Experience in buying and sourcing new food products, evaluating quality, and managing fulfillment goals.
• Ability to stay organized in a fast‑paced, changing retail environment while juggling multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated integrity in all professional actions.

Schedule

This position requires an in‑office presence five days a week at the Monrovia, CA office.