Associate Category Manager

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates; Bolton; Hybrid; CAD 86,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates in Bolton, Ontario, is seeking an Associate Category Manager to analyze the category, provide insights, and support retail partners with shelf planning and execution. The role requires collaboration with internal teams and regular in-office work with flexible remote options.

The candidate should have 1–3 years of CPG experience, strong analytical skills, and proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint. Experience with planograms and data sources is a plus.

Qualifications

• University degree in Business or related field.
• 1–3 years CPG experience with grocery/drug/mass channels.
• Strong analytical skills; translate data into strategies.
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.
• Ability to build relationships with retail partners and influence decisions.
• CPG category management experience is an asset.
• Nielsen data analysis and Numerator insights experience are assets.
• Planogram / shelf management experience with JDA ProSpace is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key retail partners.
• Monitor performance and address issues to maintain high standards.
• Establish reputation as a category thought leader.
• Conduct ongoing category analysis and derive insights.
• Develop recommendations to support category growth.
• Draw planograms for store formats to drive shelf quality.
• Participate in annual strategic planning with retail partners.
• Ensure compliance with retailer policies and quality standards.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Retail partner relationships

Category management knowledge

In-store experience

Data interpretation

Education

University degree in Business or related field

Tools

Nielsen data analysis

Numerator insights

JDA ProSpace

Retailer POS systems

Job description

Job Description:

The Associate Category Manager in the Pet Nutrition Business is accountable for the understanding and analysis of the category and providing objective, strategic, and tactical category insights and recommendations to retail partners. You will be actively involved in identifying opportunities, including analyzing sales performance, promotional activities, item assortment, and shelving strategy and execution. You will also provide best-in-class examples and insights from the global category community and other available assets

You will be responsible for external communication with key retail partners, supporting ad hoc requests, ongoing reporting, strategy reviews, shelf planning and creation, and insight generation using current tools and other industry resources. You will report to the Team Lead.

This role is based in Bolton with regular in-office collaboration expected. Flexibility is a key enabler-empowering associates to make choices that support both business outcomes and personal needs, including remote work.

What are we looking for?

• University degree in Business or a related field
• Minimum 1-3 years CPG industry experience with knowledge of grocery/drug/mass channels
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to interpret data from a mix of data sources, translate insights into relevant strategies and tactics (actions/initiatives) and execute with retail partners in a clear, simple and engaging way
• Ability to build effective relations and influence decisions, having the confidence to use data to reinforce your opinions
• In-store and/or Customer experience and understanding of how to develop engaging and actionable category solutions
• Advanced Excel skills and PowerPoint skills
• Category Management experience an asset
• Nielsen data analysis and Numerator insights experience an asset
• Shelf Management software (JDA ProSpace or similar) knowledge an asset
• Retailer POS systems experience an asset

What will be your key responsibilities?

Customer Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key retail partners
• Monitor performance and address issues promptly to maintain high standards.
• Establish reputation as a category thought leader

Analysis & Planogram Planning

• Conducting ongoing analysis of the category and support in deriving insights from the analysis
• Develop recommendations to support category growth
• Leverage local and global insights and best practices to provide actionable strategies for retail partners
• Conduct assortment analysis to provide recommendations on items not carried by the retailer that perform well in the marketplace
• Draw planograms for various store formats and sizes to drive shelf quality and availability excellence, leveraging JDA

Strategic Planning and Execution

• Participate in annual strategic planning with retail partners
• Ensure compliance with retailer policies, industry regulations, and quality standards

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

• Join apurpose drivencompany, wherewe’restriving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

#LI-Hybrid

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the below range CAD 86,444.00 - CAD 113,458.00. Please note: This job posting is for an existing vacancy. AI is used as a supporting tool in our recruitment process.