Category Manager - Sales Space Planning & Analysis

This highly motivated, analytically minded, customer-obsessed professional will work as part of the CHG Sales organization in support of key customers across the North American retail landscape, including Mass, Club, Grocery, and Dollar Channels. The Manager plays a strategic role with retailers supporting their category growth strategies. Individual will provide key analysis across category performance; competitive analysis; new item recommendations; promotional effectiveness, base and incremental volume analysis, etc. Successful candidate will conduct high quality analysis and synthesize multiple data sources to generate data-driven strategies, insight-based solutions, and actionable recommendations while leveraging effective communication & influencing skills to orchestrate action that will drive incremental value for our retail customers and At-Home sales team. The primary objectives of this role are to drive accelerated value creation and elevate our customer influence and partnership through the development of actionable insights and analysis.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop data generated insights from retail POS to inform specific retailer recommendations which enhance category and CHG performance.
• Work with CHG Insights team to develop insight-driven selling stories to drive category growth
• Analyze macro category trends and consumer/shopper behavior to identify future opportunities for growth
• Build frameworks to measure merchandising effectiveness, optimal assortment, shelf placement, etc.
• Support CHG Customer Development Managers, Directors in preparation of category line reviews, business reviews, and strategic planning sessions with retail customers
• Monitor customer and class-of-trade performance, making recommendations to improve sales and distribution, identifying opportunities to enhance CHG product distribution and shelf positioning
• Develop and improve upon analytical tools, reporting dashboards, etc. to enable data-driven decision making and action plans
• Stay current on industry trends, competitive landscape, and evolving shopper behaviors
• Undertake analysis ahead of financial investment to ensure CHG has a clear understanding of what incremental sales are required to deliver ROI
• Lead post-event analysis of promotional and merchandising events, informing recommendations/ improvements for future executions
• Plan and execute planogram and assortment reviews with key account merchant teams
• Gain deep understanding of CHG’s product lines and its role in the food categories that CHG plays
• Analyze business and develop sales strategies and plans which differentiate CHG as a partner of choice and enable CHG to profitably grow
• Build cross-functional partnerships across Sales, Marketing, R&D, Finance, and Supply Chain
• Partner with CHG’s Sales/R&D/ Marketing/ Innovation teams to support selling stories on new product development.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Minimum Job Requirements:

Education/Certifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or another related field.
• Minimum of 5-years progressive experience in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) with a focus on category management, business analytics, and/or shopper insights.
• Experience working with National and Regional Grocery/ Club/ Mass/ Dollar customers within the food industry.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient use of a computer along with advanced Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote), and other related applications or software skills.
• Strong analytical skills with fluency in retail metrics (POS, forecast, margin)
• Strength in leveraging facts and insights to build compelling stories with actionable recommendations
• Extensive syndicated data knowledge with 1010, Circana-IRI, Nielsen, Numerator, and retailer-specific point of sale (POS), etc.
• Advanced proficiency in JDA Space Planning software
• A team player who possesses the ability to foster and develop strong inter-departmental and customer relationships.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of associates and customers ranging from entry level to executive level positions.
• Ability to work with multiple departments, including but not limited to, Finance, Operations, Purchasing, R&D, Supply Chain, Legal, Quality Assurance, and Information Services, both internally and externally
• Ability to prioritize projects and clearly communicate direction internally and externally.
• Ability to update and make fact-based presentations to influence internal stakeholders, including company executives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, ability to build compelling