Associate Category Manager

C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc.; Byron Township (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

SpartanNash, located in Byron Center, Michigan, seeks a Category Management professional to develop and implement category business plans, manage assets and drive category strategies through assortment, pricing, promotion, shelf presentation, buying and inventory decisions to meet net profit goals and customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities include delivering sales and profits for assigned categories, monitoring performance with Nielsen reports and P&L statements, and partnering with vendors to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or Supply Chain (or equivalent).
• Five years in marketing, category management, product management, or development.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Strong financial acumen, analytical, influencing and negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for sales and profits for assigned categories.
• Develop comprehensive category business plans aligned with company goals; include assortment, pricing, promotion, shelf placement and cross-functional coordination.
• Monitor performance vs budget and trends using Nielsen reports, scorecards and P&L statements.
• Establish and maintain relationships with vendor partners to drive sales, profits and cost efficiencies.
• Develop private label categories in line with goals for best-in-class packaging, innovation and strategy.
• Ensure profitability by category, including market gains, indirect margin and private label share.
• May oversee department management including staffing, training and goals.
• Stay current on industry trends and best practices and recommend program improvements.
• Additional responsibilities as needed.

Skills

Verbal & written comms

Financial acumen

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or Supply Chain

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Nielsen Category Management tools

Purchasing systems

Job description

As a member of the C&S Wholesale Grocers family of companies, SpartanNash is a food solutions company that delivers the ingredients for a better life. A distributor, wholesaler and retailer with a global supply chain network, SpartanNash distributes grocery and household goods, including fresh produce and the Our Family® portfolio of products, to locations in all 50 states. Our braggingly happy team members — ranging from bakery managers to order selectors; from IT developers to vice presidents of finance; from HR Business Partners to export specialists — create braggingly happy customers spanning national accounts, independent and chain grocers, e-commerce retailers, U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, and the Company’s own brick-and-mortar grocery stores, pharmacies and fuel centers.

Location: 850 76th Street S.W. - Byron Center, Michigan 49315

Position Summary

This role is responsible for the development and implementation of category business plans within assigned categories. Manage assigned assets to achieve category goals and results through category strategies that are executed via product assortment, pricing, promotion, shelf/fixture presentation, buying and inventory management decisions that are needed to achieve net profit goals and total customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for sales and profits for assigned categories.
• Develop comprehensive category business plans consistent with the Company's overall goals and strategies for assigned categories; plans to include tactics in the areas of assortment, pricing, promotion, shelf placement and coordination with cross-functional teams.
• Continually monitor and assess performance versus budgeted objectives for category sales and fair share trends using A.C. Nielsen reports, scorecards and profit and loss statements.
• Establish and maintain relationships with vendor partners to facilitate effective category management to increase sales and profits, lower product costs, maximize trade funds and optimize partnership.
• Develop private label categories in keeping with overall company goals of achieving "best in class" ratings through packaging, innovation and strategic positioning.
• Integrate and hold accountable profitability by category, inclusive of market gains, indirect margin, and achieving private label market share.
• May be responsible for department management including staffing, training, performance management and career development of associates, and developing and monitoring department goals.
• Maintain current knowledge of industry trends and best category management practices; make recommendations to improve current programs and processes.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (required) in Business Administration, Marketing, or Supply chain or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Five years of marketing, category management, product management and/or product development experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong financial acumen, analytical, influencing and negotiations skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of category products and services, and industry trends.
• Experience working across business units to leverage resources and capabilities to accomplish company goals.
• Strong presentation and project management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Nielsen Category Management tools, experience with purchasing systems is a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 25% depending on assigned categories.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. May be required to lift and/or move 20 pounds. The associate is frequently required to sit/stand/walk. While performing the duties of this position, the associate is subject to a typical office environment and is rarely exposed to outside weather conditions. Temperatures may vary for those subject to any of the following areas: computer/server room, print shop, production area). The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate but may be high in distribution settings. Travel requirements vary by assignment.

Benefits & Culture

As part of our People First culture, SpartanNash is proud to offer a robust and competitive Total Rewards benefits package. SpartanNash is an Equal Opportunity Employer that invests in Associate development, recognizes and celebrates success, fosters two-way communication, and promotes a sense of belonging. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals, including those with disabilities and Veterans. We are not able to sponsor work visas for this position.

About C&S Wholesale Grocers

C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC is a leader in food solutions across the United States. Established in 1918, C&S had its start as a supplier to independent grocery stores. Today, the C&S family of companies — including Grocers Supply, Hansen Distribution Group, FreshKo Produce Services, The Davidson Specialty Food Group and SpartanNash — delivers innovative supply chain solutions, products and services to chain, independent and military customers from 60 distribution centers nationwide. C&S offers a comprehensive range of products for every aisle of the grocery store, from fresh produce to household goods, including within our private label portfolio. C&S operates more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores primarily under the banners: D&W Fresh Market, Grand Union, Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets and Piggly Wiggly. C&S is deeply committed to corporate citizenship, actively supporting various charitable causes that help enrich and feed our communities.