Category Manager - Dairy

Vaco by Highspring; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring is hiring a Category Manager for the Greater Pasadena Area, CA. This onsite role focuses on owning category strategy, vendor management, pricing, and inventory performance within a food-focused retail organization.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in category management or related fields, with strong supplier negotiations and experience in grocery or perishable categories. Bachelor's degree or equivalent is preferred for this senior role.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in category management, buying, sourcing, or merchandising.
• Dairy, refrigerated, fresh, or perishable food category experience preferred.
• Strong vendor management and negotiation experience.
• Understanding of commodity markets, pricing, margins, and retail math.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own category strategy across product selection, value, vendor relationships, fulfillment, negotiations, and inventory quality
• Partner with merchandising leadership to establish and achieve sales, margin, SKU, and unit targets
• Stay closely informed on category trends, commodity pricing, market conditions, production capacity, and emerging products
• Manage vendor relationships and supply chain performance, ensuring negotiated agreements, quality standards, and fulfillment expectations are met
• Source, evaluate, and introduce new products while identifying opportunities to strengthen and diversify the vendor base
• Partner with buyers and broader product teams to support fill rates, inventory quality, and fulfillment goals
• Evaluate product quality, pricing, customer value, and overall category performance
• Build strong relationships with manufacturers and vendors while leading negotiations
• Collaborate cross-functionally with merchandising, product development, operations, and other internal teams

Skills

Category management

Vendor management

Negotiation

Communication

Sourcing

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Category Manager

Location: Greater Pasadena Area, CA

Schedule: Onsite, 5 days per week

Compensation: $125,000-$145,000 base salary

Department: Merchandising

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with a nationally recognized, food-focused retail organization to hire an experienced Category Manager. This is an opportunity to take ownership of a key product category and play an integral role in product selection, sourcing, vendor strategy, pricing, inventory, and overall category performance.

The ideal candidate brings strong grocery, food, or consumer product category management experience and has a genuine passion for identifying unique products and delivering value to the customer.

Responsibilities

• Own category strategy across product selection, value, vendor relationships, fulfillment, negotiations, and inventory quality
• Partner with merchandising leadership to establish and achieve sales, margin, SKU, and unit targets
• Stay closely informed on category trends, commodity pricing, market conditions, production capacity, and emerging products
• Manage vendor relationships and supply chain performance, ensuring negotiated agreements, quality standards, and fulfillment expectations are met
• Source, evaluate, and introduce new products while identifying opportunities to strengthen and diversify the vendor base
• Partner with buyers and broader product teams to support fill rates, inventory quality, and fulfillment goals
• Evaluate product quality, pricing, customer value, and overall category performance
• Build strong relationships with manufacturers and vendors while leading negotiations
• Collaborate cross-functionally with merchandising, product development, operations, and other internal teams

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in category management, buying, sourcing, procurement, or merchandising within grocery, food, retail, or a related consumer products environment
• Dairy, refrigerated, fresh, or perishable food category experience strongly preferred
• Strong experience sourcing and evaluating new food products
• Demonstrated vendor management and negotiation experience
• Understanding of commodity markets, pricing, margins, and retail-based mathematics
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, changing retail environment
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we", "our", or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

the individual's skill sets, experience and training;

licensure and certification requirements;

office location and other geographic considerations; and

other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).