Category Analyst

The Marzetti Company; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The Marzetti Company in Bentonville, AR, seeks a Category Analyst to support Walmart category insights, data gathering, and analysis to inform assortment, shelf layout, and merchandising decisions. This role focuses on building foundational category management skills while contributing to category growth initiatives.

You will collaborate with Sales, Category Management, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Finance to analyze performance, prepare reports, track promotions, and help launches while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 0–2 years in consumer-packaged goods, analytics, sales support, or market research.
• Basic proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with Retail Link, Circana/IRI, Cintilla or similar tools preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to organize and interpret data.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Strong communication skills with ability to clearly present data and insights.

Responsibilities

• Support the Category team and Walmart buyer in developing category objectives, strategies, and tactics.
• Assist in building collaborative relationships with Walmart contacts and internal cross-functional teams.
• Support the modular drawing process, including data preparation, shelf layout updates, and ensuring accuracy and compliance with merchant strategies.
• Analyze shopper, consumer, and market data to identify trends and support development of insights and recommendations.
• Develop and maintain standardized reports and dashboards for customer meetings, category reviews, and ad hoc data requests.
• Assist in tracking and reporting category performance metrics across formats.
• Ensure data accuracy and consistency across reporting tools and systems.
• Support National Account Managers with customer presentations, business reviews, and planning.
• Track promotional performance, pricing, and trade spending.
• Assist with sales forecasting and demand planning.
• Maintain accurate customer, pricing, and product information in internal systems.
• Monitor sales against budgets and forecast variances.
• Prepare ad hoc analyses and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Support new product launches and customer-specific initiatives.
• Ensure data integrity across all reporting systems.

Skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Analytical skills

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field

Tools

Retail Link

Circana/IRI

Cintilla

Job description

Overview

Support the Category team in delivering insights and analysis to Walmart.Assistin gathering and analyzing category, consumer, and market data to provide fact-based recommendations that inform assortment, shelf layout, space management, and merchandising decisions. This role focuses on building foundational category management skills while contributing to category growth initiatives.

TheCategoryAnalystwill alsosupport the National AccountManagersby analyzing sales performance,maintainingcustomer data, preparing reports, andidentifyingbusiness opportunities. This role works cross-functionally with Sales, Category Management, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Finance to improve customer performance and achieve companyobjectives.

We kindly request that recruitment agencies and staffing firms refrain from submitting unsolicited resumes to our company. Any resumes sent without a prior agreement and access to proper submittal into the ATS will be considered the property of The Marzetti Company, and we reserve the right to contact those candidates without any obligation to pay a fee.

Responsibilities

• Support the Category team and Walmart Buyer in the development of categoryobjectives, strategies, and tactics
• Assistin building andmaintainingcollaborative relationships with Walmart contacts and internal cross-functional teams
• Support the modular drawing process, including data preparation, shelf layout updates, and ensuring accuracy and compliance with merchant strategies
• Analyze shopper, consumer, and market data toidentifytrends and support development of insights and recommendations
• Develop andmaintainstandardized reports and dashboards for customer meetings, category reviews, and ad hoc data requests
• Assistin tracking and reporting category performance metrics across formats
• Ensure data accuracy and consistency across reporting tools and systems
• Support National Account Managers with customer presentations, business reviews, and planning.
• Track promotional performance, pricing, and trade spending.
• Assistwith sales forecasting and demand planning.
• Maintainaccuratecustomer, pricing, and product information in internal systems.
• Monitor sales against budgets and forecast variances.
• Prepare ad hoc analyses and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Support new product launches and customer-specific initiatives.
• Ensure data integrity acrossallreporting systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, or related fieldrequired
• 0–2 years of experience inconsumer-packagedgoods, analytics, sales support, or market research (internships applicable)
• Basicproficiencyin Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with Retail Link,Circana/IRI,Cintilla, or similar tools preferred
• Strong analytical skills with ability to organize and interpret data
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks
• Strong communicationskills with ability to clearly present data and insights
• Eagerness to learn and develop category management and analytical capabilities
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment

Competencies

• Customer Focus
• Decision Quality
• Drives Results
• Collaborates
• Nimble Learning
• Manages Ambiguity

Working Conditions/Environment

Works in a normal office environment where the employeeis regularly required tospeak, see, hear, sit, stand, talk, type,walkand bend while moving about the facility.The noise level in the office is quiet. Occasional travel to plants or meetings isrequired.