Category Strategy Senior Associate

WHO ARE WE? 

We are the Wellbeing Collective, a global business unit within Unilever built with a start-up mindset. Our mission, with our science-backed and disruptive portfolio, is to improve the health and wellbeing of millions of consumers and become a leading Health and Wellness organization.

As part of the Wellbeing Collective, we have one customer facing account team across OLLY, ONNIT, SmartyPants and Welly. Each of these companies has a fantastic variety of benefit-led products, with strong innovation and growth potential. Being part of the Collective offers the opportunity to represent more brands, and provide one voice to our customers, while also developing best in class capabilities. This is a remarkable group of people who have come together to work across a number of the different operating companies.

THE ROLE: Category Strategy Senior Associate 

Reporting to the Category Strategy Senior Director, this person will serve as a key member of our team and will be an important asset to our continued growth. This position will help set the Vitamin category strategy for the future by producing key selling materials, conducting high quality analysis, and synthesizing multiple data -sources to derive clear recommendations for category and brand growth.  This role requires experience, independence, and the ability to actively identify opportunities through analytics + insights.  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a Vitamin category expert by analyzing data to provide tools, stories, and recommendations to grow the VMS category, including assortment, shelving, new product launch performance, and competitive study.

• Drive accelerated growth across all our VMS OpCos by leveraging data and insights to drive strategic action.

• Help provide national channel recommendations, including shelving and assortment, for all customers.

• Aid with strategic initiatives (ASP, JBP, etc.) with key retailers.

• Partner with the Category Strategy Senior Director, Sales Planning Team, and HWC Reporting Team to create and analyze necessary tools to evaluate sales opportunities related to the VMS category (e.g., Distribution Void Tracker/Turns Rank, Consumption Report, VMS PBIs).

• Conduct ad hoc category deep dives to provide inputs to drive strategic direction for the VMS Operating Companies (e.g., channel shifting dynamics, channel strategies, etc.).

• Provide retail buyer-behavior perspective to the Operating Companies in order to inform strategy.

• Live our team values of BE YOURSELF, BE DISRUPTIVE, BE PASSIONATE, BE SUPPORTIVE, and make life better for all of us!

CAPABILITIES + SKILLS REQUIRED

• 2–5 years of experience in Category Management and/or Sales Analytics.

• Ability to uncover data points and then turn information into insights for actionable growth.

• Category Management – developing 360° recommendations for national execution and all classes of trade, including assortment, shelving, and overall trends.

• Proven ability to analyze and identify opportunities for growth with key retailers and bring them to life.

• Solid written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to give and receive constructive feedback.

• Proficiency in utilizing syndicated databases, Microsoft Suite tools, and Power BI (IRI, Nielsen, Numerator).

• Experience building visual shelf recommendations.

• Passion for sales and a strong desire to build a transformational brand in today’s marketplace.

• Understanding of working with retailers across all classes of trade, particularly Walmart and Target.

• Experience with a high-performance field organization, sales planning, and broker network.

• Highly organized, analytical, detail-oriented, and self-motivated.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS 

• Initial video screen with a member of our Talent team 
• Round 1: Conversation with the Hiring Manager + 1-2 conversations with other team members
• Round 2: 2-3 conversations with team or cross-functional partners