Category Management Trainer & Instructional Designer (CPG)

Acosta; Chesterfield (MO); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Acosta is seeking a hybrid-leaning Analytics Partner to transform category, shopper, and retailer data into actionable insights. You will lead cross-functional analytics to influence assortment, pricing, promotions, and distribution, delivering growth-driven recommendations.

The role requires 3+ years in analytics within the CPG/retail space, strong Excel/PowerPoint/Power BI skills, and experience with syndicated data sources. This hybrid office role supports flexible scheduling.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of the CPG industry and category management principles.
• Experience with syndicated data sources, shopper insights, and retailer data.
• Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI proficiency; familiarity with Circana/IRI and NielsenIQ.

Responsibilities

• Analyze category, shopper, syndicated, POS, and retailer data to diagnose performance and offer recommendations.
• Translate data into clear business stories aligned with client priorities and strategies.
• Lead category reviews from discovery to recommendations, aligning cross-functional partners.
• Build executive-ready presentations and category narratives to influence decisions.
• Understand client KPIs and deliver scorecards and actionable insights.
• Collaborate with clients, sales teams, and internal stakeholders as a trusted advisor.
• Summarize results, create case studies and recap materials to demonstrate value.
• Identify performance drivers, gaps, risks, and prioritized actions across assortment, pricing, promotion, shelving, and retailer execution.

Skills

Category Management

Data storytelling

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic insights

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)

Category Management Certification (preferred)

Tools

Circana/IRI

NielsenIQ

Excel

PowerPoint

Power BI

Job description

Description

This is a #hybrid position, working in the office 3 days a week. You will serve as the strategic insights partner transforming category, shopper, syndicated, POS, and retailer data into actionable recommendations that drive growth. Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver advanced analytics and business insights that influence assortment, pricing, promotion, distribution, shelving, sales, market share, and profitability decisions. Leverage data-driven storytelling to identify opportunities, improve performance, and support profitable business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Analyze complex category, shopper, syndicated, POS, retailer, and internal performance data to diagnose business performance and provide thoughtful, proactive recommendations across the 4-Ps (product, pricing, promotion, placement).
• Translate complex data into clear, compelling business stories that connect analytical findings to client priorities, retailer strategies, category implications, and actionable growth recommendations.
• Lead the category review process from discovery through recommendation delivery, aligning cross-functional partners around clear business questions, insight-backed solutions, and measurable next steps.
• Build executive-ready presentations and category narratives using syndicated, shopper, retailer, POS, and other data sources to influence client decisions, support customer engagement, and translate analysis into measurable business outcomes.
• Understand your client’s KPIs that drive profit, sales, share, distribution, and category growth; deliver scorecards, reporting, and recommendations that validate progress and identify risks or opportunities.
• Work closely and often with clients, business managers, sales teams, category management, customer teams, and internal stakeholders to become a trusted advisor and align insights, recommendations, and execution plans.
• Provide follow-up and summarize results of analysis; create case studies, success stories, and recap materials that demonstrate the value of insights-led recommendations and support future client engagement.
• Proactively identify performance drivers, opportunity gaps, risks, and prioritized actions across assortment, pricing, promotion, shelving, distribution, and retailer execution.

Education Requirements

• High School Diploma/GED, Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)
• Related work experience can be substituted for the educational requirement
• Category Management Certification Preferred

Work Experience Requirements

• 3+ years related work experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Requirements

• Deep working knowledge of the CPG industry, including category management principles, syndicated and retailer data sources, shopper insights, sales drivers, and customer dynamics.
• Proficiency with industry tools and data sources used to complete assigned work, including syndicated, shopper, POS, retailer, and internal performance data.
• Strong storytelling capability with the ability to synthesize multiple data sources, simplify complex analysis, identify the 'so what,' and deliver concise, executive-ready narratives that influence decisions and drive action.
• Demonstrate an advanced degree of proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI as needed; experience with Circana/IRI, NielsenIQ, retailer portals, and AI-enabled productivity tools preferred.

#DiscoverYourPath

Acosta is a part of Acosta Group - a collective of the industry’s most trusted retail, marketing and foodservice agencies reimagining the way people connect with brands at every point in their shopping journey. Specializing in retail sales services, digital strategy, and business intelligence, Acosta empowers brands to thrive in the world of omnichannel shopping. Our sales and digital teams build lasting relationships, ensuring our client brands get the space they deserve in stores and outperform the competition online, while our merch reps make brands shine in retail locations across the world. But it’s not just about what we do – it’s about who we are. With a team of over 20,000 associates, we’re a community of forward-thinking, value-driven professionals committed to an unmatched level of trust and transparency in the industry. And, we understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why many of our field roles provide our associates with flexible scheduling options. Join us and be a part of a team that values growth and making a real impact for our clients, retail partners and their customers.

Acosta Group is an equal opportunity employer and will ensure that applicants with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact [e-mail]. Be sure to include "Applicant Accommodation" in the subject of your email to expedite the request.

Acosta Group believes in good faith that the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly compensation range for this opportunity is accurate and reasonable at the time of posting.

The Acosta Group utilizes E-Verify for validating the ability to work in the United States for all job candidates. If you want more information on what this entails and your rights as a job applicant, please use the link provided to access information on our use of E-Verify and your right to work. Employer Resources (e-verify.gov)

Acosta, and its subsidiaries, is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Job Category: Marketing

Position Type: Full time

Business Unit: Sales

Salary Range: $80000.00 - $100000.00

Company: Acosta Employee Holdco LLC

Employer Description: USACOSTAEMPLOYER DESC