Senior Category Strategist, Retail Merchandising

Advantage Solutions; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Advantage Solutions is seeking a Sr. Category Manager, JLB – for Target, to lead day-to-day relationships with Target merchants and drive category strategy and execution.

You will analyze market trends, optimize assortment and promotions, and own planogram development across physical and digital channels. You will synthesize data into actionable narratives for senior stakeholders, mentor junior team members, and help shape the future of retail at Target.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 5+ years in Category Management or Category Captainship.
• 3+ years of planogram development using space planning software (Blue Yonder, JDA).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day relationships with Target merchants, and cross-functional partners, and lead weekly and ad hoc meetings.
• Serve as the category expert, analyzing market trends, shopper behavior, and competitive activity to anticipate risks, identify emerging opportunities, and provide strategic recommendations to the Target merchant team.
• Lead strategic analysis to guide decisions on assortment, merchandising, innovation, pricing, promotions, and digital commerce.
• Own the transition and revision planogram process including physical and virtual planogram writing.
• Develop and maintain ongoing reporting to track category performance and flag changes that require attention.
• Lead category and seasonal reviews, evaluating results and recommending priorities for the next planning cycle.
• Synthesize complex data from multiple sources into clear, compelling narratives that explain the findings, support recommendations, and demonstrate thought leadership.
• Challenge the status quo by identifying white-space opportunities and driving new ways to grow the business.
• Support division-level strategy projects and mentor team members, with opportunities to manage others.
• Proactively improve how the Category Management team works by developing more efficient processes, templates, and ways of working.

Skills

Category Management

Client relationship management

Storytelling & insights

Excel proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Blue Yonder

JDA

Power BI

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Advantage Solutions is seeking a Sr. Category Manager, JLB – for Target, to lead day-to-day relationships with Target merchants and drive category strategy and execution.

You will analyze market trends, optimize assortment and promotions, and own planogram development across physical and digital channels. You will synthesize data into actionable narratives for senior stakeholders, mentor junior team members, and help shape the future of retail at Target.