Senior Category Manager, Packaged Bakery

About the Role

Manage the strategic development and planning for an assigned category, as a subset of a larger group of categories led by the Senior Category Manager. Ensure category sales plans align with the overall Merchandising strategy. Promote and verify execution of category strategy at the store level, ensuring the category fits into the total store perspective.

Responsibilities

• Sales & Planning
  • Manages, improves, and recommends the product assortment for stores on a national basis for the assigned category.
  • Develops annual category plans, including current situation analysis, vision/strategy, and specific category plans (assortment, positioning, product improvements, revenue, gross profit, display, price, promotion, and store communication).
  • Breaks down plans into seasonal calendars, monthly implementation plans, and recurring assortment change calendars.
  • Performs monthly analysis and verification of plans, providing explanations for variances in budgeted sales and gross profit, and projections for upcoming months.
  • Ensures assigned category strategies align with Merchandising and Corporate strategy and policy.
  • Develops pricing strategy for assigned categories, including recommended retail pricing guidelines to optimize profitability and suggested retail prices.
  • Reviews competitor pricing information and recommends pricing adjustments.
  • Approves pricing recommendations made by Associate Category Managers.
  • Collaborates with the Marketing Department on advertising, promotions, POP, co-op agreements, and promotion timetables.
  • Develops cost/benefit analyses to determine the return on advertising and promotional dollars.
• Vendor/Supplier Relationships & Supply Chain Management
  • Identifies leverage opportunities with vendors and negotiates contracts, supply agreements, or programs to achieve the lowest possible acquisition costs.
  • Identifies new suppliers and negotiates quality expectations, reduced product costs, and other terms with senior supplier management.
  • Works with suppliers and internal teams to stabilize product supply through forecasting and issue resolution.
  • Reviews and resolves out-of-stock issues with the Logistics group and manufacturers.
  • Develops and maintains effective working relationships with representatives and senior management of national suppliers.
  • Meets regularly with national vendors to discuss new product development and cost-reduction strategies.
  • Ensures alignment with Business Transformation and Logistics model priorities for 7-Eleven.
• Assortment & Display Management
  • Owns the strategic product assortment direction and guidelines for assigned categories.
  • Guides Category Managers, Associate Category Managers, and Merchandisers in developing schematics.
  • Gathers input from Merchandisers on regional assortment needs.
  • Performs SKU rationalization (narrowing) for assigned categories and works with suppliers to streamline product offerings.
  • Manages the product development process for assigned categories.
  • Oversees field tests for new products and categories, verifying results and determining next steps.
  • Reviews solicitations from potential suppliers to assess product viability for 7-Eleven.
• Communication
  • Owns communication of key strategic initiatives across Merchandising Senior Leadership, Zone Leaders, and other key leadership positions.
  • Manages day-to-day communication of key messaging to assigned categories across Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, Logistics, and related groups.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• 5-7 years of relevant work experience.
• 2+ years of management experience.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills.
• Effective communication.
• Negotiation experience.
• Understanding of financial methodology to determine costs and develop annual business plans.

Benefits

For a general description of all benefits 7-Eleven offers in the US for this position, please visit this link. For Canada, please visit this link.