Specialist Category Management & Shelf Strategy - Nutrition

Nestlé; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k with company match

Healthcare coverage

Performance-based incentives

Job summary

Collaborate with Category Managers, Sales, Space Planning, and cross-functional teams to translate data into compelling stories and scalable tools. Expect 15–20% travel nationally to meet with customers and teams. The role offers a competitive salary and benefits package within a dynamic consumer goods environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Analytics, Retail Management, or related field preferred; equivalent combination considered.
• 2+ years of experience in Sales, Category Management, Shopper Insights, Analytics, Space Management, or related role; CPG/food experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Excel & PowerPoint; ability to synthesize data into business recommendations and customer-facing stories.

Responsibilities

• Support Category Managers in developing customer-specific category growth strategies and recommendations.
• Analyze syndicated, customer, shopper, retailer, marketplace, and internal data to identify trends and opportunities.
• Develop category stories and recommendations on assortment, pricing, promotion, merchandising, and display considerations.
• Conduct performance analyses of category initiatives, merchandising programs, planogram actions, and shelving recommendations.
• Translate analysis into clear, actionable insights and visual storytelling for internal planning and customer meetings.

Skills

Excel

PowerPoint

SQL

Python

Category management

Storytelling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related

Tools

Blue Yonder/JDA Space Management

Job description

Foods you love. Brands you trust. And a career that empowers you to grow. At Nestlé USA, we’re all working towards the same goal – to delight and deliver for our consumers. With a rich portfolio of beloved brands, including DiGiorno, Toll House, and Coffee mate, in 97% of U.S. households, we have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to be there for every moment in our consumers’ lives. Joining Nestlé means becoming part of an inclusive workplace that inspires innovation, encourages strategic thinking and creativity, and celebrates your achievements. No matter where you work within the organization, you are empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace risk‑taking, and pioneer new ideas. Our supportive and collaborative environment encourages bold ambitions and continuous learning so that everyone can grow and thrive.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

Position Summary

The Specialist, Category Management & Shelf Strategy supports the development and execution of customer‑centric category growth strategies for Nutrition while leading planogram development, shelf optimization, reporting, and execution support. This role combines category analytics, shopper and retailer insights, assortment and layout strategy, and space planning expertise to create actionable recommendations that improve product visibility, shopper experience, and category performance. Working closely with Category Managers, Category Leadership Managers, Sales, Space Planning, and cross‑functional partners, this role translates data and insights into compelling category stories, scalable tools, and effective shelf solutions that can be executed with speed, quality, and consistency across customers and divisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Support Category Managers and Category Leadership Managers in developing customer‑specific category growth strategies, business reviews, and customer‑facing recommendations.
• Analyze syndicated, customer, shopper, retailer, marketplace, and internal performance data to identify trends, opportunities, risks, whitespace, and growth drivers.
• Develop category stories and recommendations related to assortment, pricing, promotion, merchandising, innovation, renovation, new item support, and display considerations.
• Conduct performance analyses, including pre‑ and post‑evaluation of category initiatives, merchandising programs, planogram actions, assortment changes, and shelving recommendations.
• Translate analysis into clear, actionable insights and visual storytelling for internal planning, customer meetings, and business decision support.

Planogram Development, Validation & Execution

• Build, maintain, validate, revise, and execute multiple versions of planograms based on assortment, clustering alternatives, fixture variations, merchandising guidelines, retailer requirements, and customer objectives.
• Review planograms for adherence to retailer strategy, merchandising standards, fixture realities, execution readiness, and quality requirements.
• Provide support for display merchandising, modular events, shelf layouts, product placement, and retail partner implementation where applicable.

Assortment, Layout & Shelf Strategy

• Support assortment and layout strategy development by applying shopper, category, retailer, and performance insights to strengthen shelf recommendations.
• Contribute to planogram testing, heat mapping, clustering evaluations, fixture alternative assessments, and shelf construct analysis to improve category and brand outcomes.
• Analyze shelf performance and recommend space allocation improvements that maximize category growth, product visibility, and shopper experience.
• Monitor and measure shelf strategy effectiveness and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Tools, Data & Capability Enablement

• Use planogram, space management, category, and reporting tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and consistency in planogram development and maintenance.
• Help develop and improve the planogram toolbox, including standardized tables, templates, reporting views, process documents, and shared knowledge resources.
• Identify opportunities to test, validate, and scale tools or automation that improve planogram development, reporting, analytics, and execution workflows.

Collaboration & Thought Leadership

• Partner with Category Management, Category Leadership, Sales, Space Planning, Customer Teams, Field Sales, and cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure recommendations translate into executable shelf solutions.
• Share reporting, best practices, learnings, and reusable tools across divisions and customer teams to improve quality, speed, and alignment.
• Bring forward‑thinking recommendations through proposals, planogram testing insights, heat mapping, scalable process improvements, and new ways of working that support total Nestlé growth.
• Build trusted relationships with internal and external partners while demonstrating curiosity, initiative, tenacity, and a continuous‑improvement mindset.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, Retail Management, Space Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• 2+ years of experience in Sales, Category Management, Shopper Insights, Analytics, Space Management, or a related manufacturer/retailer role; CPG and/or food industry experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and PowerPoint; ability to synthesize data and translate analytics into business recommendations, execution plans, and customer‑facing stories.
• Experience with Blue Yonder/JDA Space Management or similar planogram/space planning tools preferred.
• Ability to use retailer, marketplace, shopper, category, and performance data sources such as Circana, NielsenIQ, Numerator, retailer data, and internal reporting to address business questions and improve merchandising recommendations.
• Experience using SQL, Python, automation, or similar tools to improve data extraction, analysis, reporting, or planogram workflows is a plus.

Core Capabilities

• Strong analytical, storytelling, presentation, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to translate complex information into clear recommendations.
• Strong project management, prioritization, and change‑management skills with the ability to manage multiple deliverables independently and in a team environment.
• Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, problem‑solving, and willingness to challenge current ways of working while helping build future‑state capabilities.
• Ability to collaborate across Category Leadership, Field Sales, Space Planning, customer teams, and cross‑functional partners while sharing knowledge and best practices.

Approximately 15–20% travel may be required for national meetings, local customer meetings, store visits, and other business needs.

The approximate target compensation range for this role is $80-95k. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as geographic location of the position.

Nestlé offers performance‑based incentives and a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k with company match, healthcare coverage and a broad range of other benefits. Incentives and/or benefit packages may vary depending on the position.

It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace.

To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestlé. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role. In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities. Nestlé seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you’ll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestlé home.

The Nestlé Companies are equal employment opportunity employers. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at [e-mail] or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

Job Requisition: 413893

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