Category Manager II - Beverages, Alcohol, and Tobacco (5+ Years Experience)

About the Role

As the Category Manager at The North West Company International, Cost.U.Less, you will define category strategy and own the results, making sourcing and assortment decisions to drive category sales and profit growth through data-driven decision-making and innovation. You will use financial data, customer research, market data, and industry information to meet the needs of our unique consumers and optimize financial performance.

You will develop, formulate, and execute tactics within the overall category strategy, including assortment planning, procurement, merchandising, retail pricing, advertising, promotion, and managing vendor relationships and supply agreements. Additionally, you will lead and develop the Category Team to achieve category performance.

The North West Company is a leading retailer serving under-served rural communities and urban neighborhood markets in Northern Canada, Western Canada, rural Alaska, the South Pacific islands, and the Caribbean. Our stores offer a broad range of products with an emphasis on food, aiming to be the best local shopping choice for everyday household and local lifestyle needs.

Responsibilities

• Act as the subject matter expert for your category and build plans around product, promotion, and placement to drive financial performance.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to secure favorable terms, costs, product quality, and goods for NWC and our customers.
• Develop a connection with the remote communities we serve through in-community work experience to create customer-centered business plans.
• Use market data and consumer behavior insights to find innovative ways to drive performance in your category.
• Develop plans with measurable objectives, including advertising, in-store specials, and special buys.
• Set initial sales, gross profit, and inventory forecasts used in developing the final operating budget and create plans to achieve annual budgets.
• Work with Merchandising Services to monitor and recommend pricing and stock levels that deliver on category performance.
• Provide advice to Operations on Category opportunities.
• Provide leadership and management of initiatives to the department’s Category Assistant.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in category management is required.
• Post-secondary education (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) in Commerce, Marketing, or Supply Chain Management; additional experience in lieu of education may be considered.
• Experience leading and managing a small team is required.
• Solid experience with MS Office Suite, including advanced knowledge of Excel.
• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical skills and financial analysis capabilities.
• Ability to set priorities and manage the team’s workload.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to teach and monitor performance.
• Excellent interpersonal and management skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and priorities.

Benefits

• Opportunities to learn, develop, and advance throughout the organization.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Dynamic and diverse company culture.

Location: Boca Raton, FL
Reports to: Senior Category Manager, Center Store and Grocery Non-Food, Cost.U.Less