Shopper Insights Manager

Smith Hanley Associates; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Smith Hanley Associates is partnering with a consumer brand in New York to build a Category & Shopper Insights capability. You’ll turn syndicated data into compelling stories that drive decisions across Sales, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain.

You’ll work with Circana, Numerator, Scintilla/Walmart and Nielsen, turning data into dashboards and actionable recommendations while exploring AI-enabled analytics to accelerate insights process.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years in category management or shopper insights.
• Hands-on with syndicated/POS data to explain performance.
• Ability to translate data into actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Dig into syndicated and POS data to uncover drivers of performance.
• Build dashboards and self-service tools for the organization.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain.
• Turn complex data into clear, commercial stories and actions.
• Identify opportunities and support growth decisions.
• Experiment with AI and analytics tools to improve insights.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Storytelling

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Circana

Numerator

Scintilla/Walmart

Nielsen

Power BI

Tableau

Excel

Job description

Title: Shopper Insights Manager

Location: New York, New York (in office Tues-Thurs)

Compensation: $130-150k + bonus

This is one of those roles that is way bigger than the title suggests. I’m partnering with an iconic consumer brand that is building out its Category & Shopper Insights capability, and they’re looking for someone who wants more than a job pulling syndicated data and producing the same report every month. This person will have the opportunity to help shape how an organization uses data and insights to make decisions. You’ll sit at the intersection of category, shopper, analytics and commercial strategy, working across Sales, Marketing, Finance, Innovation and Supply Chain to answer the questions that actually matter: What’s happening? Why is it happening? Where is the opportunity? And what should we do about it? The company has the data. They’re looking for someone who knows how to turn it into a story, a recommendation and ultimately action.

What You’ll Do:

• Dig into syndicated, panel and POS data to uncover what’s driving brand, category and customer performance
• Work hands-on with platforms like Circana, Numerator, Scintilla/Walmart and Nielsen
• Analyze pricing, promotion, assortment, distribution, shopper behavior, new item performance and competitive activity
• Turn complicated datasets into clear, commercially relevant stories and recommendations
• Partner with Sales and Marketing on customer-specific category reviews, business plans, line reviews and selling stories
• Identify white-space opportunities and provide the analytical foundation for innovation and growth decisions
• Build dashboards, scorecards and self-service tools that make insights more accessible across the organization
• Help colleagues become smarter consumers of data rather than simply answering every ad-hoc request
• Experiment with AI, automation and emerging analytics tools to find smarter and faster ways to get to insight
• Help build the playbook for a growing Category & Shopper Insights function rather than simply inheriting someone else’s way of doing things

Who We’re Looking For:

You probably have around 5–8 years of experience across category management, shopper insights, commercial analytics, CPG insights or a similar function. More importantly, you know how to think with data, not just pull it.

• Strong hands-on experience with syndicated/POS data such as Circana, Numerator, Scintilla or Nielsen
• A strong understanding of CPG and the retail environment
• Experience digging into the drivers behind performance, not simply reporting that something went up or down
• Strong commercial instincts and the ability to connect insights to growth, margin and business decisions
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau or similar visualization tools
• Advanced Excel skills
• The ability to turn a messy analytical problem into a clear, compelling story
• Confidence communicating your thinking to both analytical and non-analytical audiences
• Curiosity around AI, automation and how emerging tools can make an insights function better

• Bonus points for experience with pricing/promotion analytics, retailer-facing work, automated reporting or mentoring junior analysts.

Why This One Is Interesting

You’re not walking into a giant, mature insights machine where your piece of the puzzle has already been decided for you. You’re joining a newly formed function with the opportunity to help define how insights are used across the organization. You’ll have visibility. You’ll have autonomy. You’ll work across the business. You’ll get to experiment with new tools and AI. And you’ll actually be able to see your recommendations translate into real decisions. For someone who likes being both the analytical brain AND the person in the room explaining what it all means, this could be a really fun next move.