Category Manager

### Category Manager Role Overview

The Category Manager will serve as the category expert, providing top-tier category and shopper insights along with actionable go-to-market recommendations for a diverse set of retail customers. This role involves analyzing various data sources, identifying insights, and recommending solutions to drive profitable category growth. The Category Manager will work cross-functionally to influence comprehensive Category Growth Strategies focused on shopper centricity, enabling sales growth and market share gains. This position acts as a strategic thought leader, imparting knowledge of the category and shopper to drive profitable business results.

### Primary Responsibilities & Requirements

- **Subject Matter Expertise**: Function as the expert across Pasta Sauce, Vinegar, and Asian Categories, providing thought leadership guidance to internal stakeholders and external customer decision-makers.
- **Data Utilization**: Serve as the expert on the use of syndicated and customer loyalty data to aid sales team members, brokers, and business segment leads in making well-informed decisions from actionable insights.
- **Reporting & Insights**: Generate weekly, monthly, and ad hoc reporting to supply insights, identify opportunities, channel shifting, and associated trends, and deliver solutions that drive profitable category growth.
- **Sales Team Alignment**: Work in alignment with Sales Team partners to influence the line review process with shopper insights and fact-based data to make proposals on optimal assortments and POG strategies to drive category and share growth.
- **Multi-Channel Insights**: Provide insights, suggestions, and perspective on multi-channel purchasing behaviors (in-store, omni, OGP, etc.).
- **Data Presentation**: Develop consistent formats/presentation and analysis of syndicated data, KPI scorecards, customer category and shopper research, and competitive activity to formulate strategies and plans for sales growth.
- **Executive Summaries**: Take ownership of monthly executive summaries and participate in company calls, sharing in-market performance, key insights, opportunities, and recommendations for all growth channels customers.
- **Data Visualization**: Lead the development of the critical transition to data visualization from static reporting formats.
- **Thought Leadership**: Continue to elevate the company as a top CPG partner and an objective Category first thought leader.
- **Self-Development**: Take ownership of self-development, proactively seeking continuous improvement, coaching, and development.
- **Travel**: Approximately 25% of the time.

### Education, Experience, & Qualifications

- **Education**: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related field.
- **Experience**: 8-10+ years in category management, sales, data analytics, and shopper insights.
- **Technical Skills**: Advanced knowledge of working with Panel/Numerator, shopper insights, customer data, Nielsen, and Circana, with proficiency in JDA/Apollo preferred. Proven advanced abilities to use Microsoft Suite of tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.) effectively.
- **Stakeholder Understanding**: Clear understanding of key stakeholders, both internally and externally, and what information motivates them to work effectively across teams and customers.
- **Storytelling Skills**: Strong storytelling skills and proven experience in building cohesive, actionable, and fact-based selling stories.
- **Leadership & Integrity**: Demonstrated history of a strong passion for winning, being a leader, and a dependable team member. Exhibit unwavering integrity, ethics, and the ability to maintain an objective point of view.
- **Initiative & Accountability**: Must be proactive, with personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
- **Communication Skills**: Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and listening skills.