Packaging Category Manager: Strategy & Sourcing

Mac Papers and Packaging,; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Mac Papers + Packaging in Jacksonville, FL seeks a Category Manager for Packaging to own the category strategy and commercial direction. You will align with Sales, Purchasing and Supply Chain Analytics to optimize product mix, pricing, supplier relationships, inventory strategy and market positioning.

The successful candidate will analyze category performance, identify growth opportunities, and lead sourcing and supplier negotiations to improve margins and profitability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Statistics, or related field preferred, or equivalent work experience.
• 1-3 years of experience in supply chain analytics, planning, logistics, or data analysis.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to work with large datasets and identify trends or anomalies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with database management.
• Exposure to ERP systems, planning tools, and business intelligence platforms preferred.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication abilities and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Experience in wholesale distribution or the paper/packaging industry a plus.
• Must be able to read and communicate in English, for safe and effective performance of the job and business operations.
• Must be able to work alone, and with a team.
• Must be able to pass a drug screen and criminal background check.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the category strategy for Packaging, aligned with company growth, margin, supplier, inventory, and customer objectives.
• Identify growth opportunities within the assigned category, including product expansion, private label, preferred supplier programs, substitutions, cross-sell opportunities, and emerging customer needs.
• Partner with the Director of Category Management to establish annual goals, strategic priorities, and action plans for the assigned category.
• Monitor category trends, competitive activity, customer demand, supplier developments, and market conditions.
• Lead action plans to address underperforming products, suppliers, customer programs, or margin trends.
• Maintain substitute item catalogs and alternate sourcing strategies to address supply gaps and customer needs.
• Own category-level performance analysis, including sales, gross margin, rebate income, SKU productivity, supplier performance, inventory turns, and category profitability.
• Drive improvement in gross margin dollars, gross margin percentage, rebate income, supplier program income, inventory productivity, and category profitability.
• Support margin guardrails, pricing guidance, supplier cost-change processes, and profitability expectations for product category.
• Partner with Finance and Sales leadership to evaluate customer specific inventory, customer profitability, deal economics, and corrective action plans.
• Monitor and support processes for customer-specific stocking, including volume commitment, margin expectations, supplier support, inventory risk, and exit plans
• Support sales in new sourcing requests, first suggesting core commodity skus, then if none are suitable for the customer aiding in identifying and bringing in alternatives.
• Lead supplier negotiations related to rebates, cost changes, private label, and strategic programs.
• Partner with purchasing team on supplier service issues, lead times, fill rates, backorders, cost changes, and supply disruptions.
• Identify and qualify alternative suppliers to reduce risk, improve competitiveness, and support growth
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Analytical skills

Strong communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Statistics, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

ERP systems

Planning tools

Business intelligence platforms

Job description

Mac Papers + Packaging in Jacksonville, FL seeks a Category Manager for Packaging to own the category strategy and commercial direction. You will align with Sales, Purchasing and Supply Chain Analytics to optimize product mix, pricing, supplier relationships, inventory strategy and market positioning.

The successful candidate will analyze category performance, identify growth opportunities, and lead sourcing and supplier negotiations to improve margins and profitability.