Category Manager - Packaged Beverage

About the Role

Increases category gross profit by selecting local suppliers, evaluating new products, and negotiating pricing; planning marketing strategies. Collaborates and supports National and Business Area activities for the category. May supervise or provide direction to Junior Category Managers or other merchandising staff positions.

Responsibilities

• Supports the organization's strategic direction.
• Responsible for local assortment and planogram execution.
• Owns frontline pricing decisions.
• Responsible for vendor operations and local relationships.
• Responsible for planogram implementation – resets (including all 3rd party relationships).
• Responsible for actionable operational reporting (Out of Stock, Zero Sales Reporting, Delivery Frequency, and others as necessary).
• Selects local vendors, negotiates costs, terms for products, and develops schematics by applying category management principles in accordance with the organization's strategic objectives.
• Increases sales revenues by developing promotional concepts and overlay programs on local assortment.
• Establishes and monitors gross margins by forecasting and developing annual sales quotas, projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new products, and determining placement and promotions.
• Projects and measures category sales and gross profit results by developing and maintaining records of item cost, retail, and gross margin dollars.
• Maintains external local and national vendor relations by providing direction, guidance, and information, resolving concerns.
• Recommends changes in products, service, and policy by evaluating results and competitive developments.
• Achieves financial objectives by preparing an annual category review, budget, scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, initiating corrective actions.
• Allocates program costs by preparing operational and risk reports for analyses aligning with the organization's Merchandising.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reading professional publications, establishing personal networks, or participating in professional societies.
• Contributes to team effort by accomplishing determined Financial and Key Result Area targets pursuant to Company Plan guidelines.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in advertising, finance, management, business economics, or related field preferred. Other combinations of experience and education that meet the requirements may be substituted.
• Five years of experience or more preferred in merchandising; including experience in management responsibility.
• Proficient in MS Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word preferred.
• Must have strong relationship management, analytical thinking, and financial acumen skills.
• May require up to 30% travel.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sit for long periods of time.
• Operate computer keyboard and mouse for data entry.
• View computer monitor.
• Hear and speak via telephone.
• Reach forward and/or overhead.
• Occasionally lift up to 20 pounds.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate at a normal range.
• The lighting will include natural light from the outside as well as fluorescent lighting throughout the work areas.
• Work with minimum direction and periodic supervision.

Pay

$90,000 to $110,000 annually.