Manager, Growth Solutions

KeHE Distributors; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 79,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/Rx

Vision

Dental

FSA/HSA

Life insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Paid sick time

STD/LTD

ESOP

Holiday pay

Job summary

KeHE Distributors is hiring a Growth Solutions Manager who will apply market dynamics and analytics to boost sales and optimize assortment for strategic customers. You will present insights to retailer partners, collaborate with Category Management and Sales, and develop ROI reporting to track performance.

The role requires a 4-year business degree and at least three years in food industry analytics, with travel up to 20% and a focus on data-driven storytelling.

Qualifications

• Knowledge in market dynamics, industry shifts and retailer landscapes is mandatory.
• Experience in retail, brand or product merchandising and assortment analysis preferred.
• Ability to translate data into compelling presentations that drive growth and loyalty.

Responsibilities

• Identify product trends across channels and shopper patterns.
• Create optimal assortment and merchandising solutions from diverse data.
• Present insights to retailer buyers and merchandising teams with actionable recommendations.
• Develop ROI reporting and measure sales growth for retail customers.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Category Management, Sales and Enablement teams.
• Travel up to 20% as needed.

Skills

Market dynamics

Retail analytics

Presentation skills

Project management

Multi-tasking

Specialty knowledge

Merchandising tactics

Communication skills

MS Office

PowerPoint

PowerBI

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

3+ years food industry analytics experience

Tools

SPINS

IRI

CSIA

ShopperSights

Mintel

Excel

PowerPoint

PowerBI

Job description

• Pay Range: $79,300.00/Yr. - $116,270.00/Yr.
• Shift Days: , Shift Time:
• Benefits on Day 1
• Health/Rx
• Vision
• Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
• Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
• Holiday pay for company designated holidays
  

Why Work for KeHE?

• Full-time
• Pay Range: $79,300.00/Yr. - $116,270.00/Yr.
• Shift Days: , Shift Time:
• Benefits on Day 1
• Health/Rx
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Paid sick time
• Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
• Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
• Holiday pay for company designated holidays
  

Overview

At KeHE, we’re obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others - and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we’re committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you’ll be embarking on a career that’s moving forward. When you join KeHE, you’re becoming part of a team that is a force for good.

Primary Responsibilities

The Growth Solutions Manager acts as a subject matter expert in market dynamics affecting the industry. By leveraging analytics and marketplace knowledge, this role is responsible for helping KeHE’s strategic customers increase sales and trade area relevance through improvements in assortment and merchandising. As with all positions at KeHE, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision and Values.

Essential Functions

• Identify product trends across channels by analyzing:
  • Category, attribute and marketplace trends
  • Consumer behavior shifts and shopper purchase patterns
  • Market visits, trade shows, industry events
• Curate consumer, demographic, syndicated and internal data to create optimum, innovative, and actionable assortment and merchandising solutions.
• Effectively present best in class presentations to retailer buyers and merchandising teams showcasing category insights, trends, new items, and merchandising concepts.
• Translate data into actionable and fact-based insights to create turnkey, influential solutions for KeHE’s sales teams and retailer partners.
• Establish and maintain relationships with key decision makers with our retailer partners based on trust, marketplace knowledge, and results.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Category Management, Sales and Sales Enablement teams.
• Develop ROI reporting by analyzing implementation rates at retail, product success rates and sales growth for our retail customers.
• Support training and development of Growth Solutions team members.
• Maintain safeguards of confidential company information.

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge in market dynamics, industry shifts and retailer landscapes is mandatory.
• Experience in retail, brand or product merchandising and assortment analysis preferred.
• Ability to create compelling presentations that translates facts, data and insights into impactful stories that drive business growth and shopper loyalty for KeHE and our retailers.
• Ability to effectively manage a wide variety of projects simultaneously and often with time-conflicting pressures.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced business environment.
• Natural, specialty and/or fresh product knowledge with ability to recognize brands and trends.
• Project management, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated thought leadership and creativity skills.
• Strong understanding of merchandising tactics and strategies.
• Demonstrated strength in oral and written communication skills.
• Willingness to take initiative on projects with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with MS Office, primarily Excel and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with SPINS, IRI, CSIA, ShopperSights, Mintel software.
• Experience with visualization tools, such as PowerBI, a plus.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• 4-year bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study.
• Minimum of three years prior experience in food industry analytics (retailer, supplier, distributor or data provider).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Equal Employer Opportunity Statement

KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.