Head of Grocery

Giant Tiger; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 137,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Store Discount

Parental leave salary top-up

Recognition program

Safety first environment

Health and dental benefits + paid time

Job summary

Giant Tiger in Ottawa, ON, seeks a Head of Grocery to lead our grocery merchandising and category team. You will shape the next chapter of our grocery business and drive assortment, pricing, promotions and SKU productivity while maintaining our trusted low-price promise.

You will report to the EVP and Chief Merchant and collaborate with Supply Chain, Marketing and Store Operations to deliver sales, traffic and profit growth.

Qualifications

• Experience leading merchandising or category teams.
• Strong grocery/fresh merchandising with accountability for assortment, pricing, category performance and profitability.
• Ability to translate merchandising strategy into clear priorities and day-to-day execution.
• Experience influencing store operators, franchisees or other independent business partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead Grocery merchandising strategy and pricing to sustain lowest-price position.
• Develop assortment and SKU productivity with customer traffic and sales focus.
• Create pricing and promotional strategies protecting lowest-price position.
• Partner with Private Label to grow Giant Tiger's private label business.
• Collaborate with franchise owners to align assortment and merchandising decisions.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Marketing, Ops and Finance to convert strategy into action.
• Provide demand forecasts and insights for inventory planning and turns.
• Build vendor relationships and negotiate favorable terms.
• Lead and develop merchandising leaders across the team.

Skills

Grocery merchandising

Leadership

Pricing strategies

Vendor management

Franchise relations

Data-driven decision making

Education

University undergraduate degree in Business, Merchandising, or related field

Job description

Who We Are

At Giant Tiger, our mission is simple: help Canadians save more every day. We’re a Canadian institution rooted in our communities and built on 60+ years of success. As part of our store support team, your work directly impacts stores across the country and drives the value that our customers see on the shelves.

Who We Are

At Giant Tiger, our mission is simple: help Canadians save more every day. We’re a Canadian institution rooted in our communities and built on 60+ years of success. As part of our store support team, your work directly impacts stores across the country and drives the value that our customers see on the shelves. We’re looking for people who are passionate about retail and motivated by meaningful work that makes a real impact. This posting represents a current opportunity at Giant Tiger.

Job Title

Head of Grocery

About This Role

Giant Tiger is looking for a grocery leader to help shape the next chapter of our grocery business as we strengthen our position as a Hard Discount retailer. This is a significant merchandising leadership role with the opportunity to influence how Canadians shop Giant Tiger. Reporting into our Executive Vice President and Chief Merchant, you will lead our Grocery business and team, making disciplined decisions about assortment, pricing, promotions and SKU productivity to drive customer traffic, sales and profit while protecting what matters most: delivering consistently low prices our customers can trust. Giant Tiger operates differently than Canada's largest grocers. We are a Canadian-owned retailer with more than 260 stores, including a significant franchise network. Our stores operate with a focused supply chain and our franchise owners know their customers and businesses well. Success in this role requires someone who can set a clear merchandising direction, work within that operating reality, and earn the confidence of store owners, suppliers and partners across the business.

Workplace Arrangements

This role will follow a hybrid remote/onsite schedule. Applicants for this role can expect to work on-site from our Ottawa, Ontario Head Office throughout the month.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead Giant Tiger's Grocery merchandising strategy, strengthening our Hard Discount and lowest-price position while delivering sales growth, profitability, customer value and increased market penetration.
• Lead the evolution toward a simpler, more productive grocery assortment, making disciplined decisions about the SKUs that earn their place based on customer traffic, sales, profit and inventory productivity.
• Develop pricing and promotional strategies that protect Giant Tiger's lowest-price position and give customers a compelling reason to shop our stores more often.
• Partner closely with Private Label to identify opportunities within the Grocery assortment and support the continued growth of Giant Tiger's private label business.
• Develop strategies that earn the support of our franchise owners, using strong commercial judgment, data and store insight to demonstrate how assortment and merchandising decisions improve their business.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Replenishment, Marketing, Merchandising Financial Planning and Store Operations to turn the Grocery strategy into simple, executable plans for our stores.
• Provide accurate demand forecasts and commercial insights that support inventory planning, product availability and strong inventory turns within Giant Tiger's supply chain.
• Build strategic vendor relationships and negotiate competitive commercial terms that support lowest price, product availability, profitability and agility.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of merchandising leaders, translating strategy into clear priorities and consistent day-to-day decisions.

What You'll Bring

• 10+ years of progressive experience in grocery, food merchandising or a related retail environment.
• 5+ years of experience leading merchandising or category teams, including experience leading and developing other leaders.
• Strong grocery/fresh merchandising experience with demonstrated accountability for assortment, pricing, category performance and profitability.
• A strong commercial mindset with the ability to identify the products that drive customer traffic, sales and profit.
• Experience simplifying or rationalizing assortments while protecting customer value and business performance.
• A proven ability to translate merchandising strategy into clear priorities and day-to-day execution for your team.
• Experience influencing store operators, franchisees or other independent business partners where alignment must be earned rather than directed.
• A highly collaborative approach and demonstrated ability to work effectively with Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, Finance and other merchandising teams.
• Strong vendor management and negotiation experience.
• University Undergraduate degree in Business, Merchandising, or related field and 10 years' experience in the retail industry OR 15 years' experience in the retail industry.

Assets You May Have

• Experience working within a Hard Discount, value or limited-assortment retail environment.
• Private label merchandising experience.
• Experience across fresh and ambient grocery categories.
• Experience working within a franchise retail environment.
• Bilingual in FR and EN.

Travel Requirements

• Moderate travel required, including regular travel to Giant Tiger Home Office, stores, and vendors.

Giant Tiger is proud to offer a Total Rewards package designed to support your financial security, health, and career growth. This includes competitive compensation for all employees, as well as retirement savings support and comprehensive well-being benefits for our permanent team members.

Salary

$137,300.00 - $187,300.00

Short Term Incentive Plan

Bonus - Short-Term Incentive Plan, 30% Annual

Retirement Support

Stock - Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP), 35% Annual

What Giant Tiger Offers

Competitive Compensation: The salary range for this position is listed above. Giant Tiger will consider factors such as experience, skills and internal equity to ensure you are paid competitively.

Short Term Incentive Plan: This role includes an annual bonus opportunity based on the percentage of base salary listed above, with payout determined by company and individual performance.

Retirement Support: This role is eligible for company-funded retirement savings, with contributions made on your behalf. The specific retirement program and contribution level are noted above.

Health Benefits and Paid Time Off: Access to our flexible, cost-shared health and dental benefits (available on hire) and annual paid time off, including personal and vacation days, plus additional paid holiday time between Christmas and New Year’s.

Career Growth: Giant Tiger is committed to developing our people. We promote from within, and many of our leaders started right here. We provide the coaching, training, and support you need to build a long-term career. If you're looking for a place to grow and take on new challenges, you've found it.

Extra Giant Tiger Perks

• Store Discount
• Parental leave salary top-up
• Recognition program that celebrates great work with monetary rewards and other perks
• Safety first environment

Location

2480 Walkley Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 6A9

Job Requisition

JR133377

Giant Tiger is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fair employment practices. Giant Tiger will provide support and accommodation in its recruitment processes to all applicants. If you are invited to participate in an interview and have accommodation needs, please contact [e-mail]. Giant Tiger does not sponsor work permits. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada and maintain authorization for the duration of employment.