Director - Category Strategy & Sales Operations

Haribo; Rosemont (IL); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

HARIBO of America, Inc. seeks a Director of Category Management & Category Strategy to drive category growth across the confectionery segment in the U.S.

You will translate consumer, retailer, and competitive data into actionable recommendations, guide assortment, pricing, and shelf execution, and lead analytics and broker management functions. You will manage a high-accountability team, partner with Sales and Demand Planning, and travel up to 20% as needed to support HARIBO’s growth objectives

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years in CPG/CPG industry with prior Category Management experience.
• Must have people management experience.
• Experience in impulse categories like candy/confectionery is preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% nationwide.

Responsibilities

• Develop category management strategies for multiple channels and retailers.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Demand Planning to improve forecast accuracy.
• Coordinate planning routines and leadership meeting materials.
• Ensure tools and analytics platforms support planning and decision making.
• Lead Category Management, Sales Analytics, and Broker Management teams.
• Translate data and insights into actionable strategies for Sales leadership.

Skills

Category Management

Sales Analytics

Broker Management

Data analysis

Advanced Excel

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

IRI

Circana

NielsenIQ/NIQ

SPINS

Numerator

Job description

We are the world's #1 gummi candy manufacturer. It's a great time to join HARIBO and help spread "Childlike Happiness" (one of our core values) to consumers across the United States. Are you HARIBO?

TheDirector - Category Management & Category Strategy leads the development of category growth strategies and commercial insights that help HARIBO of America deliver sustainable, profitable growth within the confectionery category. **Please note-- this is not a procurement or buyer position** . The role leads and develops a team, builds a high-accountability performance culture, and equips internal sales teams and broker partners with the insights, tools and ways of working needed to win with retail customers and grow the confectionery category. Are you HARIBO?

Located on-site at the HARIBO of America corporate office in Rosemont, Illinois, theDirector - Category Management & Category Strategy translates consumer, shopper, customer (retailers), channel (grocery, drug store, dollar/value, mass, club, convenience, etc), and competitive intelligence into clear commercial recommendations across assortment, shelf strategy, pricing, promotion, innovation, and retail customer execution across the United States.

This roles also strengthens sales effectiveness through analytics, channel planning, standardized processes, broker performance management, and actional business reporting. The Director - Category Management & Category Strategy will have 10+ years of experience in the CPG / Consumer Packaged Goods industry-specifically with 5+ years in Category Management roles. Additionally, this person will have a Bachelor's Degree, 5+ years of formal people management experience, and demonstrate deep expertise in using syndicated sales and category data (IRI, Circana, Nielsen IQ, etc) and turning data and insights into actionable strategies. **Please note-- this is not a procurement or buyer position**.

Responsibilities

• Develop category management strategies for channel (grocery, drug store, dollar/value, mass, club, convenience, etc) and customer (retailer) strategies which includes assortment, space, pricing, promotional recommendations that support overall category growth (gummie, sugar, confectionery, etc) while supporting HARIBO's commercial sales objectives
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Demand Planning to improve sales forecast accuracy
• Coordinate Sales Planning routines, leadership meeting agendas and materials, and monitor execution again channel strategies and objectives
• Ensure Sales organization has appropriate tools and technology, including data analytics platforms, to support effective planning and decision making
• Align broker partners on category priorities, customer (retailer) specific recommendations, and the work required to deliver agreed upon business objectives, track broker results against agreed objectives
• Lead and develop the Category Management, Sales Analytics, and Broker Management teams
• Use available retail and syndicated data, sales results, and customer information to translate trends into practical recommendations for Sales leadership

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in the CPG / Consumer Packaged Goods industry
• Must have prior experience specifically in Category Management roles --
  • **Please note-- this is not a procurement or buyer position**
• Must have prior people management experience, coaching & developing direct reports
• Must have prior experience specifically in impulse CPG categories such as candy, confectionary, beverage, or salty snacks, or similar impulse purchase categories
• Deep expertise in syndicated sales data tools such as IRI, Circana, NielsenIQ / NIQ, SPINS, Numerator, or other related syndicated sales data tools
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time, nation-wide, with overnight stays

Skills

• Proven track record of developing and executing successful Category strategies and optimizing Sales Operations

• Proficiency in utilizing, pulling data, and analyzing syndicated sales data tools such as IRI, Circana, Nielsen - NIQ, SPINS, Numerator, or other related syndicated sales data tools
• Experience using CRM systems
• Advanced Excel skills
• Strong analytical skills and experience with data-driven decision making

Compensation and Benefits

Target Hiring Pay Range: $160,000 - $200,000 annually

This pay range represents the min/max target annual base salary range HARIBO of America, Inc. may pay for this position at the time of this posting. Please note, a candidate's offered annual salary will be determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the candidate's relevant education, experience, qualifications, skills, internal equity, and the geographical location of the role.

In addition to the base salary, HARIBO of America, Inc. offers a comprehensive benefits package to support the well-being of our associates and their families.

HARIBO of America, Inc. is committed to fair and equitable pay practices and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding pay transparency.

HARIBO of America, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and maintains a Drug-Free Workplace. Employment at HARIBO of America, Inc. is subject to post offer, pre-employment drug testing. The Company's policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, including protected veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. HARIBO also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also HARIBO's policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

HARIBO is committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities and veterans. If you need an accommodation to assist with completing the electronic application, please contact the location for which you are applying and ask to speak with the human resources representative or email [e-mail].