Senior Manager, Category Management

Second Nature Brands; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Second Nature Brands is seeking a Senior Manager, Category Management to lead the category function across a multi-brand portfolio. You will set the category vision, build an insights engine, and lead a team of category managers and analysts partnering with Sales, Shopper Insights, Marketing, and key retailers.

You will own strategy for assortment, shelf optimization, pricing, and promotions, presenting data-driven recommendations at executive reviews and driving growth across the portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, Economics or Analytics; MBA a plus.
• 8+ years in category management, shopper insights or commercial strategy, incl. 2+ years leading a team.
• Experience leading customer-facing category reviews with national retailers (e.g., Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Target).
• Deep expertise with syndicated data (Circana/IRI or Nielsen) and shopper/panel data; experience managing data partnerships.
• Strong command of assortment and space management tools (JDA/Blue Yonder, Spaceman, AODR) and category captaincy.

Responsibilities

• Own the enterprise category management strategy across all brands and channels.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing category management team.
• Serve as senior category advisor in top-to-top customer line reviews and joint business planning.
• Establish category insights and reporting framework using syndicated and shopper data.
• Lead assortment, distribution, shelf strategy, and SKU rationalization across a multi-brand mix.
• Partner with Revenue Growth Management on price-pack architecture and promotion effectiveness.
• Embed category strategy into selling stories, launches and customer plans.
• Direct integration of acquired brands into category reporting and insights toolkit.

Skills

Category management

Team leadership

Executive communication

Data storytelling

Strategic influence

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA (preferred)

Tools

JDA/Blue Yonder

Spaceman

AODR

Job description

Reporting to the VP of Commercial Strategy & Sales Operations, the Senior Manager, Category Management leads the category leadership function across the full multi-brand portfolio. This is both a strategic and a people-leadership role: you will set the category vision, build the insights engine, and lead a team of category managers and analysts who partner with Sales, Revenue Growth Management, Shopper Insights, Marketing, and our largest retail customers. You will be the senior category voice in customer line reviews and joint business planning, turning data into category-growth strategies that win distribution, optimize the shelf, and grow both our brands and the total category.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the enterprise category management strategy across all brands and channels, translating portfolio priorities into category growth plans for key customers.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing category management team (managers and analysts); set standards, coach, and create a clear path for talent development.
• Serve as the senior category advisor in top-to-top customer line reviews and joint business planning, presenting fact-based assortment, shelf, pricing, and promotion recommendations.
• Establish the category insights and reporting framework - syndicated data (Circana/IRI, Nielsen), panel, and shopper data that gives the Commercial organization a single, trusted view of performance.
• Lead assortment, distribution, and shelf strategy, including planogram principles, white-space prioritization, and SKU rationalization across a complex multi-brand mix.
• Partner with Revenue Growth Management on price-pack architecture, trade strategy and promotion effectiveness to maximize net revenue and category ROI.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to embed category strategy into selling stories, innovation launches and customer plans.
• Direct the integration of newly acquired brands into category reporting, customer review processes and the broader insights toolkit.
• Build relationships with retailer category and merchandising leaders, positioning Second Nature Brands as a trusted category captain or validator where appropriate.
• Drive results through and with our broker organization - equipping and empowering broker partners to execute category leadership in the field, setting clear standards and expectations, and holding the broker network accountable for delivering category and customer objectives.
• Own the category management tools, data partnerships and budget; evaluate and implement capabilities that improve speed, automation and analytical depth.
• Define and report on category KPIs (share, distribution, velocity, shelf, promotion ROI) and bring forward the risks, gaps and opportunities that should shape commercial decisions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Business, Marketing, Finance, Economics or Analytics; MBA a plus.
• 8+ years of progressive CPG experience in category management, shopper insights or commercial strategy, including 2+ years directly leading and developing a team.
• Proven track record leading customer-facing category reviews and joint business planning with national retailers (e.g. Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Target, club, grocery, or mass).
• Deep expertise with syndicated data (Circana/IRI or Nielsen) and shopper/panel data; experience selecting and managing data and analytics partnerships.
• Strong command of assortment and space management tools (e.g. JDA/Blue Yonder, Spaceman, AODR) and the principles of category captaincy.
• Demonstrated ability to set strategy and influence at the senior and executive level, both internally and with customers.
• Excellent storytelling and executive communication skills - able to turn complex data into a clear, persuasive category narrative.
• Experience in a multi-brand, high-growth or post-acquisition environment strongly preferred; comfortable with ambiguity and building structure where little exists.
• Willingness to travel to customers as needed.

Why Second Nature Brands

This is a rare opportunity to build and lead the category management function for a growing portfolio of beloved snacking brands at a true inflection point. You'll have the mandate to shape strategy, build a team and sit at the table where commercial decisions are made - with real ownership and clear runway as the company scales.