Category Manager

Wakefern Food Corp.; Woodbridge Township (NJ); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Paid time off

Medical/Dental/Vision

Job summary

Wakefern Food Corp. is seeking a Category Manager for Frozen procurement, responsible for pricing, shelving, marketing and promotions to maximize visibility and sales. The role requires understanding consumer needs and the division's product knowledge to drive category strategies and vendor management.

The candidate will develop plans, manage a large product portfolio, and collaborate with buying, marketing and merchandising teams to improve profitability and in-store performance.

Qualifications

• Four-year college degree; business preferred.
• Minimum 2 years purchasing experience in retail.
• Strong data analysis and consumer insights.
• Experience presenting to diverse audiences.
• Experience with SAP is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with other departments to navigate the organization.
• Provides co-op members with insights and guidance regarding product and category.
• Develops short and long term category development plans and strategies.
• Leads category management projects to optimize ranges and merchandising.
• Manages suppliers and drives sales and profits for Wakefern Members.
• Builds strong relationships with buying, marketing and merchandising teams.
• Utilizes AI and digital tools to analyze data and support category initiatives.

Skills

Data analysis

Vendor management

Category strategy

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Retail knowledge

Education

Four-year college degree (Business preferred)

Tools

SAP

Job description

Wakefern Food Corp. is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and supports its co-operative members' retail operations, trading under the ShopRite®, Price Rite®, The Fresh Grocer®, Dearborn Markets®, Fairway®, Dibruno Bros. and Gourmet Garage® banners.

Employing an innovative approach to wholesale business services, Wakefern focuses on helping the independent retailer compete in a big business world. Providing the tools entrepreneurs need to stay a step ahead of the competition, Wakefern’s co-operative members benefit from the company’s extensive portfolio of services, including innovative technology, private label development, and best-in-class procurement practices.

About You

Summary

The Category Manager is a self-motivated and driven contributor to the Frozen procurement team, and an expert on the pricing, visual merchandising, management and sales of categories of products. The Category Manager is responsible to drive the pricing, shelving, marketing and promotions of products to make them visible, accessible and appealing to customers. This position requires a working knowledge of the products within the division, ability to comprehend consumer needs and buying practices, and understand the sales goals and environment related to the merchandise category. The primary responsibilities of the Category Manager are vendor management, pricing and marketing, creation of programs, in-store merchandising, and planning and inventory management.

Core Functions

The core functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Successfully navigates the organization and collaborates with other departments within the organization
• Provides co-op members with customer focused insights and guidance regarding the product and category
• Creates and develops a short and long term plan and strategy for development of the category(s)
• Able to give direction and guidance to analyst pool as needed
• Leads category management projects to optimize ranges and related merchandising
• Manages a large portfolio of products and develops appropriate strategies for each
• Develops strong working relationships with buying, marketing and merchandising teams
• Actively works to drive sales and maximize profits for Wakefern Members
• Demonstrates proficiency in utilizing AI and digital technologies to analyze complex data, generate actionable insights, automate routine analytical tasks, and support fact-based category strategies that improve operational efficiency and business results.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• Four year College degree or currently enrolled night student with a minimum of 60 or more college credits completed towards a Business Degree
• Must have at least 2 years of previous purchasing experience in a retail organization and an understanding of surrounding laws and regulations
• Able to analyze consumer data and identify trends
• Aptitude for detail and figure oriented work and the ability to learn computer systems easily
• Experienced in giving presentations with the ability to adapt to differing perspectives
• Well-developed oral and written communication skills
• Clear ability to analyze data to make category decisions
• A thorough understanding of retail insights
• SAP experience, strongly preferred
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with all levels of the organization
• Previous experience and knowledge of a retail environment
• Demonstrated ability to develop and articulate category strategies and the impact on total store
• Proven experience of highly effective supplier management and development
• Experience of managing business improvements projects within a Supply Chain & Purchasing environment

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

• Ability to monitor computer screens for long periods of time
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule, with a current requirement of 4 days in person
• Ability to flex hybrid schedule to attend important meetings and vendor or store visits based on business needs

Core Competencies

• Communicate Effectively
• Drive for Results
• Build Relationships
• Develop You

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $$90,000 to $120,000 annually. Placement in the range depends on several factors, including experience, skills, education, geography, and budget considerations.

Wakefern is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and professional development of our Associates. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with company match, paid time off, holidays, and parental leave. Associates also enjoy access to wellness and family support programs, fitness reimbursement, educational and training opportunities through our corporate university, and a collaborative, team-oriented work environment. Many of these benefits are fully or partially funded by the company, with some subject to eligibility requirements.

About The Work

This job description is intended to set forth the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of the work performed by associates for this position. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates to do this job. Associates may be assigned additional responsibilities as necessary. The Company reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and to require associates to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business, competitive considerations or the work environment changes. This document describes the position currently available and is not an employment contract.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. If requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position covered by this Job Description is expressly declared to be “at will,” meaning Wakefern has the right to terminate the incumbent’s employment at any time, with or without cause. Any written or oral promises or representations to the contrary are expressly disavowed and should not be relied upon by any associate. Any change to this “at will” employment status must be in writing and signed by the Vice President of Human Resource.