Category Manager - Tobacco & Services

Yesway, Inc.; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Savings Account

401K with Company Match

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Paid Sick Time

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Pet Care Plan

Legal Insurance

Job summary

Yesway, Inc. is seeking a Category Manager to own the P&L for assigned tobacco and service categories and drive sales growth across banners.

You will develop 3-year category roadmaps, optimize assortment, pricing, and promotions, and lead joint business planning with key supplier partners. You will negotiate cost of goods and contract terms to maximize ROI, analyze POS and syndicated data, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.
• 5–7 years in retail category management or multi-unit operations.
• Proven track record owning category P&L performance.
• Experience building data-driven category strategies and pricing.
• Strong negotiation with suppliers to drive outcomes.
• Excellent analytical abilities for data-driven decisions.

Responsibilities

• Own full P&L performance of assigned tobacco and service categories, delivering sales growth, margin expansion, inventory productivity, and market share gains across all banners.
• Develop and execute annual category strategies and 3-year roadmaps, including assortment optimization, pricing architecture, manufacturer program execution, regulatory compliance, promotional strategy, and innovation aligned to company growth objectives.
• Lead joint business planning with key supplier partners; negotiate cost of goods, trade funding, promotional investment, manufacturer agreements, and contract terms to maximize ROI.
• Utilize POS data, syndicated insights, customer analytics, manufacturer data, and competitive intelligence to identify trends, pricing opportunities, business risks, and actionable category plans.
• Ensure assigned categories comply with applicable federal, state, local, manufacturer, and company requirements while partnering with Operations on consistent execution.
• Lead the strategic direction of cigarettes, other tobacco products, nicotine alternatives, lottery and gaming, and assigned service programs.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to the associate category manager, supporting execution, professional development, and business performance.
• Develop strategic supplier partnerships to strengthen manufacturer programs, merchandising initiatives, pricing strategies, and contractual performance.
• Partner with Marketing, Loyalty, Operations, Supply Chain, and merchandising teams to ensure alignment on promotions, pricing, regulatory execution, in-stock performance, and execution.
• Monitor supplier scorecards to ensure accountability for service levels, manufacturer commitments, innovation, and financial performance.
• Evaluate promotional effectiveness, pricing strategies, and manufacturer programs to maximize return on promotional investment.
• Present category performance updates, strategic plans, and key initiatives to senior leadership and field operations.
• Travel independently as required (approximately 10%).

Skills

P&L ownership

Retail category management

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel

PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Finance/Marketing or related field

Tools

POS data systems

Syndicated data tools

Job description

Description

Who we Are:

Yesway, Inc.(“Yesway” or the “Company") (Nasdaq: YSWY), is an award-winning convenience store operator established in 2015 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. With 450 stores across nine states in the Midwest and Southwest, Yesway is renowned for its iconic foodservice offerings, diverse grocery selections, and private-label products, including Allsup’s deep-fried burrito. Through strategic acquisitions, new store developments, and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Yesway continues to solidify its position as one of the leading convenience retailers in the United States. For more information, visitwww.yesway.com .

Position Responsibilities:

• Own the full P&L performance of assigned tobacco and service categories, delivering sales growth, margin expansion, inventory productivity, and market share gains across all banners.
• Develop and execute annual category strategies and 3-year roadmaps, including assortment optimization, pricing architecture, manufacturer program execution, regulatory compliance, promotional strategy, and innovation aligned to company growth objectives.
• Lead joint business planning with key supplier partners; negotiate cost of goods, trade funding, promotional investment, manufacturer agreements, and contract terms to maximize ROI.
• Utilize POS data, syndicated insights, customer analytics, manufacturer data, and competitive intelligence to identify trends, pricing opportunities, business risks, and actionable category plans.
• Ensure assigned categories comply with applicable federal, state, local, manufacturer, and company requirements while partnering with Operations on consistent execution.
• Lead the strategic direction of cigarettes, other tobacco products, nicotine alternatives, lottery and gaming, and assigned service programs.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to the associate category manager, supporting execution, professional development, and business performance.
• Develop strategic supplier partnerships to strengthen manufacturer programs, merchandising initiatives, pricing strategies, and contractual performance.
• Partner with Marketing, Loyalty, Operations, Supply Chain, and merchandising teams to ensure alignment on promotions, pricing, regulatory execution, in-stock performance, and execution.
• Monitor supplier scorecards to ensure accountability for service levels, manufacturer commitments, innovation, and financial performance.
• Evaluate promotional effectiveness, pricing strategies, and manufacturer programs to maximize return on promotional investment.
• Present category performance updates, strategic plans, and key initiatives to senior leadership and field operations.
• Travel independently as required (approximately 10%).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, or related field required; advanced degree a plus. Equivalent combination of education and relevant retail merchandising experience will be considered.
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive experience in retail category management, merchandising, or multi-unit retail operations; convenience retail experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success owning category P&L performance, including sales growth, gross margin expansion, and inventory productivity improvement.
• Experience developing and executing data-driven category strategies, assortment optimization, pricing architecture, and promotional planning.
• Proven track record negotiating cost of goods, trade funding, and supplier agreements to drive measurable financial outcomes.
• Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to translate complex data into actionable business decisions.

Preferred Skills and Competencies:

• Strategic thinker with strong financial acumen and business ownership mindset.
• Ability to influence cross-functional partners and present effectively to senior leadership.
• High level of organization and attention to detail with disciplined follow-through.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with POS and syndicated data tools preferred.
• Medical
• Vision
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Savings Account
• Company Paid Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401K with Company Match
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Sick Time
• Paid Holidays
• Voluntary Supplemental
• Life Insurance
• Disability
• Critical Illness
• Hospital Indemnity
• Pet Care Plan
• Legal Insurance

Yesway is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. #LI-BM2 #LI-ONSITE

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.