Senior Deli & Bakery Category Lead

Uwajimaya Inc; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid holidays from day one

Employee discounts on food and gift

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Long term disability

Life insurance

Opportunities for growth and advanced

Job summary

Uwajimaya Inc. in Seattle, WA, seeks a Senior Category Manager for Deli & Bakery to develop and execute strategic plans, manage assortments, and drive sales and profitability.

You will oversee scratch-made offerings, vendor partnerships, and central kitchen coordination while guiding in-store execution and pricing strategies. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in service deli or bakery operations, retail category management, and strong negotiating and analytical abilities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in service deli or bakery operations, retail category management, and purchasing, including experience as a Category Manager or in an equivalent role.
• Experience running or managing a commercial kitchen is a plus.
• Experience negotiating with suppliers and managing retail and food service vendor relationships.
• Strong analytical, data interpretation, and actionable insight generation skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop category strategies aligned with business objectives for Japanese and Pan-Asian assortments.
• Conduct market analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and competitive insights.
• Optimize assortment, pricing, and promotions to drive sales and profitability.
• Collaborate with Deli Managers to develop new products for central kitchen and stores.
• Own ingredient statements, labeling, and packaging for the assortment.
• Negotiate contracts and terms with suppliers to ensure favorable pricing and supply chain efficiency.
• Coach and incubate new local vendors into the Deli & Bakery assortment.
• Coordinate with marketing/merchandising for category plans and in-store execution.
• Monitor category performance and implement action plans to address underperformance.
• Stay current on Asian restaurant and retail food trends.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing/Finance

Advanced degree or certifications (a plus)

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Uwajimaya Inc. in Seattle, WA, seeks a Senior Category Manager for Deli & Bakery to develop and execute strategic plans, manage assortments, and drive sales and profitability.

You will oversee scratch-made offerings, vendor partnerships, and central kitchen coordination while guiding in-store execution and pricing strategies. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in service deli or bakery operations, retail category management, and strong negotiating and analytical abilities.