Category Activation Specialist

Position Mission: 

Support the strategic category plan and financial objectives of assigned category group by driving the planning, communication and measurement of the following critical departmental processes, while providing key insights, associated with each and making recommendations, to the Category Managers:

• All promotional activity across all channels
• Supplier onboarding
• New line set up
• Category reporting.

While accomplishing these financial objects, this person in this position is expected to uphold GPC’s high standards and ethics and integrity as an important representative of the corporation to the suppliers, customers, and community.

Position Performance Measures:

• Meet or exceed all critical deadlines associated with promotional activities, including both scheduled promotions (ex. Sales Driver, Wholesaler and Real Deals) and unscheduled promotions (ad-hoc)
• Data accuracy on all detail sheets and other promo data collection tools
• Communication effectiveness

Responsibilities: 

• Documentation of promotional planning calendar, by category and by supplier, including all channels, all scheduled promotions and ad-hoc promotions
• Communication of promotional planning calendar to all stakeholders, including external suppliers and internal departments, such as: marketing, supply chain and sales teams
• Ongoing maintenance of promotional planning calendar, ensuring it is up-to-date at all times
• Prepare all required documentation for promotional submissions, ensuring all critical time
• lines are met, including completion of all required templates, such as Detail Sheets
• Participate in key milestone meetings associated with all promotional activities
• Ensure all inventory planning is consistent with forecasted needs and proactively work cross functionally with the supply chain team to ensure seamless execution
• Communicate all promotions to the broader field network, via bulletins and other supporting materials
• Reconcile all supplier income initiatives associated with promotional activities, ensuring these funds are claimed, journaled and reported accurately on a regular basis
• Conduct post implementation analysis, including customer, operational and financial responses to all promotional activities, with a view to making recommendations for future improvement
• Lead the new supplier onboarding process from end to end, including all direct to APG suppliers and all domestic Balkamp suppliers, ensuring the highest level of service to our suppliers is maintained at all times
• Assist the sourcing team with set up of all global suppliers
• Liaise with assigned suppliers to ensure all critical milestones are met
• Activate new suppliers cross functionally within the organization, including communication to the field
• Lead the set up of all new lines, working cross functionally with internal and external stakeholders
• Assist in facilitating samples and planograms, where applicable
• Reconcile all supplier income initiatives associated with new line fees, ensuring these funds are claimed, journaled and reported accurately on a regular basis
• Communicate new lines to the network
• Monitor financial performance of new lines, in collaboration with the Category Analytics team
• Manage product lifecycle, including Supersessions, DNR and clearance

Experience, Education, and Abilities:  

• Bachelor’s Degree in Busin