Category Manager
Good people, working with good people, for our common good.
Sound good?
KeHE-a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor-is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food and good service, we'd love to talk to you!
Primary Responsibilities
The Category Manager is responsible for being a subject matter expert in market dynamics affecting natural, specialty, and/or fresh categories. The individual in this position will maintain KeHE’s reputation as a best-in-class distributor, while achieving their goals and objectives. A successful candidate will have a strong understanding of analytics and data to maximize category sales and margin, while developing a category strategy with a curated, balanced brand portfolio. As with all positions at KeHE, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision and Values.
Essential Functions
- Identify and monitor consumer and product trends and insights to support category strategies and supplier negotiations through multiple sources, including but not limited to:
- KeHE internal metrics, including supplier performance
- Product attribute, category, and retail channel trends
- Consumer behavior shifts
- Shopper purchase patterns
- Market visits, trade shows, industry events
- Manage existing suppliers and brokers to ensure a continuous flow of relevant line-extensions, promotional support, and performance reviews.
- Forage for innovative products that will shape the future through strategic involvement with industry partners, shows, publications, etc., while creating a highly curated brand portfolio. Proactively seize non-traditional, horizontal assortment growth opportunities.
- Nurture small and emerging brands to increase industry knowledge and maximize marketplace potential, while maintaining supplier partnerships with predictable performers.
- Define purpose and role of category within KeHE portfolio and set, measure, and track specific category metrics to ensure performance success.
- Translate data into actionable and innovative insights to create turn-key, influential solutions for KeHE’s sales team and retailer partners. Generate industry leading category reviews and brand selling tools and effectively communicate and present information to relevant audience.
- Develop impactful promotional programs and marketing events with existing and new suppliers that align with determined go-to-market strategy.
- Maintain highly competitive marketing fund agreements and methods to optimize sales and assortment productivity throughout KeHE’s nationwide distribution network.
- Participate in planning, developing, enhancing and implementing KeHE shows and events to meet attendance and performance objectives.
- Organize and lead meetings with both internal stakeholders and external vendor partners.
- Work collaboratively with various departments within KeHE to achieve traction for new products, programs, and sales growth associated with category strategies.
Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude
- 4-year bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study.
- Experience within the food industry with 3+ years of Category and/or Sales Management.
- Demonstrate facility using syndicated purchase data, consumption data, panel/demographic data, and consumer insights (e.g. IRI, SPINS, Nielsen, Mintel, CSIA, ShopperSights).
- Natural, specialty, and/or fresh product knowledge with ability to provide examples of facilitation of selling category and product solutions (e.g. presentation, webinar, tools).
- Proficiency in MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Possess a sense of urgency and attention to accuracy and detail.
- Ability to effectively manage a wide variety of tasks simultaneously and often with minimal direction or time conflicting pressures.
- Willingness to travel domestically, occasionally over weekends (about 20-35%).