Senior Manager, Category Leadership

Lactalis USA; Bedford (NH); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Lactalis USA is seeking a Senior Manager for Category Leadership to develop and execute yogurt category strategies for national customers. This role requires strong analytical skills, team management experience, and the ability to translate data into actionable insights. Join a leading dairy company committed to professional growth and innovation.

Benefits

Comprehensive Total Rewards Program

Paid Time Off from day one

Education Reimbursement

Qualifications

• 7+ years of category management, sales, and/or sales data analytics experience required.
• 5+ years of team management experience.
• CPG experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead yogurt category strategy development and recommendations.
• Analyze syndicated data to inform strategies and business recommendations.
• Coach and mentor direct reports to ensure executional excellence.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Team management

Data analysis

Sales strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

MBA (preferred)

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

IRI

Nielsen

Walmart Luminate

Kroger 8451

Job description

Description

Looking for a job that can turn into a lifelong career? At Lactalis USA, we believe in promoting from within and giving our employees opportunities to grow. Whether you're starting fresh or bringing years of experience, we'll provide the tools and support you need to succeed!

Lactalis, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to nurturing the future by providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. We produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together every day. We offer an enviable range of dairy brands including Galbani, President, Kraft Natural Cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Parmalat, Siggi's, and Stonyfield Organic in addition to several brands imported from our affiliates in Europe.

We live by our core values-Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity-and we're building a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone's unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, don't let that stop you from applying! We're eager to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how you can bring your EXPERTISE to help us make an impact.

From your PASSION to ours

The Senior Manager, Category Leadership is a customer-facing position that will focus on leading yogurt category strategy development and recommendations at strategic national customers and will oversee the recommendations developed by the Assistant Manager, Category Leadership at Tier 2 and regional grocery customers. The role will utilize advanced technical and analytical skills to help develop, present and execute customer-specific category strategies in alignment with the division's and customer priorities. The Senior Manager will report to the Director of Sales Strategy and has one direct report: the Assistant Manager Category Leadership. The role will also work closely with the broader Customer Account/Field Sales & Sales Strategy, and Brand Marketing teams.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Become a trusted partner and expert for the yogurt category buyer at assigned national customers. For assigned customers - create and implement strategic recommendations and collaborate with Customer Account Manager on improvements in selling strategies. Provide guidance to the Assistant Manager's deliverable on Tier 2 and regional grocery customers.
• Analyze syndicated data (consumer and shopper) from internal, industry and retailer-specific resources to identify key insights that inform strategies and business recommendations to drive category, customer and Lactalis growth.
• Deliver "category first" insights and influential recommendations to yogurt category buyers; contribute to New Item Meeting and Joint Business Planning presentations at assigned customers.
• Partner with Sales Leadership Team and Category Strategy Senior Manager to establish the newly created Category Leadership team's responsibilities and ways of working.
• Coach, mentor and develop direct report(s), ensuring our Category Leadership executional excellence, and streamlining the translation of national category strategies into customer level execution.
• Deliver fully integrated consumer, category, and market insights to guide the customer's strategic choices and tactical actions while maintaining a proven ability to turn Data into Insights and Insights into Action regarding retailer strategy.
• Maximize sales by understanding and integrating the division strategies in conjunction with customer-specific strategies. Achieve through collaboration with both external and internal partners to identify mutually beneficial opportunities.
• Make strategic assortment recommendations at the category level for assigned customers and oversee recommendations for tier 2 and regional grocery customers.
• Partner with Senior Manager, National Category Strategy on national category strategies and objectives, and ensure national insights are translated and executed at a customer level.
• Partner with brand, insights, and national category teams to identify consumer insights that are relevant to share with customers and incorporate those insights accordingly across customers.
• Work closely with sales directors to define customer category strategies and ensure customer, headquarter and national category strategies are aligned and implemented across customers.
• Ensure strong communication with sales leadership team. Create a forum to make sure customer category strategies are shared with sales leadership and customer feedback / associated recommendations are communicated for alignment.
• Develop best in class category management principles driving efficiency and effectiveness.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (8 years) is required.
• An MBA is preferred.
• 7+ years of category management, sales and/or sales data analytics experience required.
• 5+ years of team management experience.
• CPG experience is strongly preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills required; must also have strong PowerPoint skills.
• Proven experience with syndicated data and decision data/tools such as IRI, Nielsen, Spectra, Numerator, Scintilla, HH Panel, SPINs, Symphony, Numerator.
• Experience with Walmart Luminate and/or Kroger 8451 is preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 40% monthly.
• Demonstrated experience building strong teams and developing people through effective recruitment and managerial support, including the ability to set SMART goals, motivate, coach, and build cohesive teams.
• Rigorously analyze data and situations to identify and analyze causes/effects, selecting only appropriate information to make effective decisions. Ability to translate data into compelling PowerPoint presentations.
• Proven success working across divisions and departments to successfully implement complex initiatives.
• Ability to create and articulate compelling long-term strategies while delivering short-term results.
• A strong communicator (written & verbal) with the ability to transmit and receive information clearly, considering others' points of view to respond appropriately, and effectively communicate across all levels and departments.
• Possesses a strong understanding of business, with the ability to navigate various business scenarios effectively.
• Ability to structure complex problems and develop solutions, with strong attention to detail.
• Flexible and able to work in a fast-paced environment, advancing multiple projects concurrently, working under pressure, meeting deadlines, and identifying potential issues before they become roadblocks. Must have a \"can-do\" attitude.
• Adept at analyzing sales data and formulating meaningful insights that create business growth opportunities, with the ability to build data-based recommendations.
• Excellent analytical skills, intellectual curiosity, and strong cross-functional collaboration are essential.

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.