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Position Summary:
The Category Manager is responsible for driving sales, margin, and case growth through category product planning and execution of strategic product marketing plans, as well as, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working closely with sales, sourcing and procurement to deliver on the category's key metrics.

Essential Functions:

• Develop long-range strategies for the assigned category to achieve volume and profit targets in support of organizational goals and objectives.
• Develop and facilitate an annual category plan for the assigned category.
• Manage and negotiate customer support such as marketing dollars, slotting allowances, and costs. 
• Analyze sales reports, market trends, and forecasts, to identify customer segment and category targets.
• Accountable for assigned category sales and profitability by managing pricing, margin, product mix, packaging, seasonal product opportunities, item shrink, and product concerns and complaints.
• Depending on assigned category, may be required to purchase off product terminal, ie produce market
• Provide direction of overall Gordon Food Service Store product lifecycle management from introduction to discontinuance. 
• Develop and execute the category review strategy for assigned category.
• Create, monitor, and adjust effective pricing strategies that align with the Store pricing strategy and organizational sales and profit goals and objectives.
• Develop methodology and process to strategically market products to support the category/marketing Annual Operating Plan.
• Communicate relevant information about the assigned categories to marketing, merchandising, supply chain, sales and other relevant areas.
• Responsible for collaborating with suppliers and internal teams to drive and enhance product innovation and development that support consumer trends and result in category growth. 
• Develop and evolve a core group of image items that differentiate Store from the competition in alignment with consumer trends that result in category growth.
• Collaborate with and leverage the North American Product Marketing Team to develop and manage products that support the Store's vision and category goals and objectives.
• Collaborate with and leverage product vendors to address specific Store needs.
• Participate and contribute in the assigned North American Product Marketing Team meetings. 
• Collaborate with divisional category leaders to understand and support regional store needs using DSD vendors as needed.
• Maintain knowledge of current consumer trends and insights as well as product development and innovation in the assigned category such as seasonal variation and item variety. 
• Service the store and field teams by providing timely and relevant information and addressing their needs.

• Interviews, hires, orients, trains and retains staff.

• Conducts performance monitoring of staff, initiating follow-through with disciplinary action and termination in consultation with the Senior Manager, Product and Human Resources when appropriate.
• Mentors, motivates and develops staff and serves as a role model and resource.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

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Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

• Must be able to analyze, interpret data, draw conclusions, and be able to apply those conclusions to tactics and strategies that lead to business improvement.  
• Must have good verbal and written communication skills, including some public speaking.  
• Excellent business management skills to oversee the performance of the assigned product categories.  
• This position requires strong leadership, and relationship-building skills.  
• Must have good time management and organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously. 
• Must be results-oriented and have excellent team skills.
• Ability to develop solutions to complex problems that require the regular use of ingenuity and innovation. May refer to established precedents and policies.  Ensures solutions are consistent with organizational objectives.  
• Knowledge of industry trends.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree preferred in Marketing, Business, or related fields
• Four years of previous product, brand, or category management experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.  Previous terminal purchasing experience is a plus.