Category Specialist-Nutrition

Nestlé S.A.; Arlington, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based incentives

401k with company match

Healthcare coverage

Job summary

Nestlé S.A. in Arlington, VA seeks a Specialist, Category Strategy to help develop customer-centric category growth strategies for Nutrition, and to support planogram development, shelf optimization, reporting, and execution.

You will translate data into actionable category stories, collaborate with Category Managers, Sales, Space Planning, and cross-functional partners to scale tools and shelf solutions across customers and divisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related field.
• 2+ years in Sales, Category Management, Shopper Insights, Analytics, Space Management, or related role.
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; translate analytics into business recommendations.
• Experience with planogram/space planning tools preferred.
• SQL/Python or similar data tools a plus; strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support Category Managers in developing customer-specific category growth strategies.
• Analyze syndicated and retailer data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks.
• Develop category stories related to assortment, pricing, promotion, and display.
• Translate analyses into clear insights and visual storytelling for internal/external meetings.
• Support planogram development, validation, and execution across customers.

Skills

Excel

PowerPoint

SQL

Python

Storytelling

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing/Analytics

Tools

Blue Yonder/JDA Space Management

Circana

NielsenIQ

Numerator

Job description

The Specialist, Category Strategy supports the development and execution of customer-centric category growth strategies for Nutrition as well as supporting planogram development, shelf optimization, reporting, and execution support. This role combines category analytics, shopper and retailer insights, assortment and layout strategy, and space planning expertise to create actionable recommendations that improve product visibility, shopper experience, and category performance. Working closely with Category Managers, Category Leadership Managers, Sales, Space Planning, and cross-functional partners, this role translates data and insights into compelling category stories, scalable tools, and effective shelf solutions that can be executed with speed, quality, and consistency across customers and divisions.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Analytics

• Support Category Managers and Category Leadership Managers in developing customer-specific category growth strategies, business reviews, and customer-facing recommendations.
• Analyze syndicated, customer, shopper, retailer, marketplace, and internal performance data to identify trends, opportunities, risks, whitespace, and growth drivers.
• Develop category stories and recommendations related to assortment, pricing, promotion, merchandising, innovation, renovation, new item support, and display considerations.
• Conduct performance analyses, including pre- and post-evaluation of category initiatives, merchandising programs, planogram actions, assortment changes, and shelving recommendations.
• Translate analysis into clear, actionable insights and visual storytelling for internal planning, customer meetings, and business decision support.

Planogram Development, Validation & Execution

• Support building, maintain, validate, revise, and execute multiple versions of planograms based on assortment, clustering alternatives, fixture variations, merchandising guidelines, retailer requirements, and customer objectives.
• Review planograms for adherence to retailer strategy, merchandising standards, fixture realities, execution readiness, and quality requirements.
• Provide support for display merchandising, modular events, shelf layouts, product placement, and retail partner implementation where applicable.

Assortment, Layout & Shelf Strategy

• Support assortment and layout strategy development by applying shopper, category, retailer, and performance insights to strengthen shelf recommendations.
• Contribute to planogram testing, heat mapping, clustering evaluations, fixture alternative assessments, and shelf construct analysis to improve category and brand outcomes.
• Analyze shelf performance and recommend space allocation improvements that maximize category growth, product visibility, and shopper experience.
• Monitor and measure shelf strategy effectiveness and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Tools, Data & Capability Enablement

• Use planogram, space management, category, and reporting tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and consistency in planogram development and maintenance.
• Help develop and improve the planogram toolbox, including standardized tables, templates, reporting views, process documents, and shared knowledge resources.
• Identify opportunities to test, validate, and scale tools or automation that improve planogram development, reporting, analytics, and execution workflows.

Collaboration & Thought Leadership

• Partner with Category Management, Category Leadership, Sales, Space Planning, Customer Teams, Field Sales, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure recommendations translate into executable shelf solutions.
• Share reporting, best practices, learnings, and reusable tools across divisions and customer teams to improve quality, speed, and alignment.
• Bring forward-thinking recommendations through proposals, planogram testing insights, heat mapping, scalable process improvements, and new ways of working that support total Nestlé growth.
• Build trusted relationships with internal and external partners while demonstrating curiosity, initiative, tenacity, and a continuous-improvement mindset.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, Retail Management, Space Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• 2+ years of experience in Sales, Category Management, Shopper Insights, Analytics, Space Management, or a related manufacturer/retailer role; CPG and/or food industry experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and PowerPoint; ability to synthesize data and translate analytics into business recommendations, execution plans, and customer-facing stories.
• Experience with Blue Yonder/JDA Space Management or similar planogram/space planning tools preferred.
• Ability to use retailer, marketplace, shopper, category, and performance data sources such as Circana, NielsenIQ, Numerator, retailer data, and internal reporting to address business questions and improve merchandising recommendations.
• Experience using SQL, Python, automation, or similar tools to improve data extraction, analysis, reporting, or planogram workflows is a plus.
• Strong analytical, storytelling, presentation, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to translate complex information into clear recommendations.
• Strong project management, prioritization, and change-management skills with the ability to manage multiple deliverables independently and in a team environment.
• Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, problem-solving, and willingness to challenge current ways of working while helping build future-state capabilities.
• Ability to collaborate across Category Leadership, Field Sales, Space Planning, customer teams, and cross-functional partners while sharing knowledge and best practices.

Travel

Approximately 15-20% travel may be required for national meetings, local customer meetings, store visits, and other business needs.

Salary:$80,946.32 to$109,431.70 per year

Bonus Eligibility: 10%

Thepay rangeprovided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to knowledge, skills and abilities as well as geographic location. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at top of range.

Nestlé offers performance-based incentives and a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k with company match, healthcare coverage and a broad range of other benefits. Incentives and/or benefit packages may vary depending on the position. Learn more at https://www.nestlejobs.com/nestle-in-the-us-benefits

It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace.
To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestlé. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role. In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities. Nestlé seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you’ll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestlé home.

The Nestlé Companies are equal employment opportunity employers. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at [e-mail] or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.