Beef & Pork Category Manager — Hybrid Role & Growth

Fresh Thyme Market; Downers Grove (IL); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

Scheduling flexibility

Paid parental leave

Team member discount

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Fresh Thyme Market in Downers Grove, IL is seeking a Category Manager for Beef and Pork to lead the assigned category, collaborate with stores and vendors, and drive budgets, margins and inventory decisions. The role emphasizes training department managers, implementing company programs, and optimizing pricing, promotions and product placement.

The position offers a hybrid schedule with some travel to stores and the distribution center.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent Grocery industry experience.
• Minimum 6 years professional experience.
• Preferred 5-7 years grocery category product experience in Natural Foods processes and procedures.
• Previous experience in a natural foods industry is a plus.
• Experience in meat category highly preferred.
• Financial, mathematical, statistical and consumer research experience to read and interpret results.

Responsibilities

• Creates and implements pricing, promotion, assortment and shelf schematics for each assigned category based on past performance, industry trends and consumer data.
• Prepares yearly business plans and budgets by category.
• Negotiates with vendors on pricing, product assortment, promotions and calendars.
• Reviews financials monthly and ensures budgets, sales and margins are met.
• Maintains store inventory levels and shrink controls at category level.
• Leads training and development of store-level Department Managers and Operational Specialists.

Skills

Customer service

Analytical skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Detail oriented

Time management

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent Grocery industry experience

Tools

MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Job description

Fresh Thyme Market in Downers Grove, IL is seeking a Category Manager for Beef and Pork to lead the assigned category, collaborate with stores and vendors, and drive budgets, margins and inventory decisions. The role emphasizes training department managers, implementing company programs, and optimizing pricing, promotions and product placement.

The position offers a hybrid schedule with some travel to stores and the distribution center.