Become A Senior Category Manager

* Expert analytical abilities to gather, analyze and establish spend baselines through complex analyses of the spend data, market data, and various supplier proposals, in order to yield fact based decisions and address the requisite needs of the key stakeholders for the spend under evaluation.
* Develops an end-to-end category strategy, mapping out the current landscape and defining an improvement plan for the near, mid and long-term to stimulate interest from and engagement with stakeholders through activities such as: market research, demand management, specification development, spend analytics, category strategy development, business case development, negotiation, E
* Procurement & E-auctions, supplier relationship management, stakeholder engagement.
* Develop and maintain stakeholder business relationship to build and win internal support for the benefit of the business
* Ability to explain the value proposition of procurement services, the practices/tools used, the benefits to the organization, and the value of Vendor Management
* Champion and enact pan-business sourcing to leverage Sears Hometown and Outlet buying power
* Create, prioritize and plan a pipeline of opportunities to deliver the saving objectives
* Support a Vendor Management program to include business reviews, vendor assessments, and risk assessment/management.
* Ensure Procurement, the Business and Vendors conduct business ethically, and within the Company’s Vendor Code of Conduct guidelines

* Provide strategic direction to regional produce and purchasing teams.
* Create and communicate the retail vision and standards for departments and categories.
* Develop and maintain category strategy based on financial expectations, category role, category performance, customer and product trends, competitive landscape, and Whole Foods Market differentiators.
* Develop and set category price strategy and develop pricing tactics to achieve financial and customer objectives, including initial regular pricing, EDV/CMP programs, and integration into promotions.
* Coordinate fiscal period and quarterly review for regions and GPP (identify opportunities to enhance sales and profitability for both regional and global operations).
* Assist the regions with financial accountability including, but not limited to, achieving margin goals and driving sales growth.
* Develop strategic relationship with key suppliers and Nielsen Team in order to ensure early insight to new trends and products: new items, differentiated products, merchandising and promotions.
* Drive improvement and innovation in Whole Foods Market’s retail produce environment by supporting the regional Produce Coordinator group.
* Partner with Exclusive Brands to integrate branded/exclusive program into overall category strategies and marketing with promotional events, including Whole Trade, exclusive items, and pack development, to drive differentiation and sales.
* Develop and execute category promotional planning including planning and executing key promotional events and competitive landscape (support global national and Regional ad planning process).
* Support regional and Global leadership on development of department structures, margin and price guidance, category management, marketing strategies, and customer service tactics that yield profitable results; support weekly regional merchandising strategies and purchasing and category tactics with regional buyer teams.
* Establish clear, relevant and timely communications to Regional Produce Coordinators, Regional Leadership (RVPs and ECs), DC Facility Leadership and Global Leadership.
* Build and participate in training and development programs to support regional team growth.
* Product info communication (calls, notes, and meetings to inform team and leadership).
* Drive and enhance team structure and business processes to support growing GPP operations and regional teams.
* Actively participate in GPP leadership and Global Produce Coordinator Team.
* Identify leadership talent and career progression to fulfill current and future regional and GPP needs.
* Participate in IT development, specifically around National and Regional Produce Purchasing.
* Partner with Global Produce Purchasing to increase transparency on topics including food safety, traceability, social accountability and sustainability.
* Continue to develop and support RG as a valuable tool for long term WFM produce differentiation

* Lead strategy development for assigned categories with business owner(s) and other key stakeholders.
* Act as a thought leader and participate in strategic planning activities and function as an overall Professional Services change agent.
* Analyze key inputs, including business needs, volume projections, and market/supply base benchmarks and trends.
* Lead the development of negotiation strategies and drive negotiations for key supplier agreements.
* Monitor supplier performance, identify cost reduction opportunities, and create a competitive market environment.
* Negotiate and manage ongoing supplier relationships to ensure responsiveness and partnering behavior.
* Work with cross-functional teams to identify, pursue and capture spend related improvements including make/buy decisions.
* Monitor assigned category purchasing spend and ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
* Collaborate effectively with a team of procurement professionals, including supervision of selected team members, which may include remote personnel, to ensure procurement goals are effectively and efficiently achieved

* Work closely with the VP of Category Management and internal Post Teams to ensure CM Team is aligned against largest opportunities.
* Manage and develop team into the most knowledgeable trusted advisers in the cereal industry.
* Develop a relationship with customers as the trusted adviser and experts in the RTE cereal category.
* Securing or maintaining Post position as the category captain or validator.
* Provide category management insights and actionable recommendations that will drive category growth at customer.
* Provide detailed category analysis and recommendations in the areas of product assortment, placement, pricing and promotion that will drive category sales.
* Key contributor and participant in customer Joint Business Planning meetings.
* Develop customize customer fact-based selling tools and selling stories that support Post growth initiatives.
* Provide insights on how Post initiatives drive overall category growth.
* Manage the customer category review process.
* Expert at presenting shelf recommendations and developing POG’s that drive category growth.
* Align with Post Sales Team to close biggest opportunities for customer growth.
* Participate with Post Sales Team presenting recommendations for category growth.
* Set customer performance targets and proactively identify opportunities based on in-depth understanding of the customer`s capability, position in the market, and willingness to execute.
* Ability to challenge the status quo to implement positive change

* Responsible for leading the online business of a specific grouping of merchandise categories within one or two divisions.
* This position is responsible for developing the assigned online strategy and ensuring the online product satisfies the customers' evolving needs and compliments the other Office Depot channels (e.g. retail locations).
* Additional responsibilities include: 3rd party vendor relationship management, planning and forecasting business performance, strategic business planning to drive maximum impact to online sales and margin, roadmap development, and partnering with marketing and operations on program execution and fulfillment.
* Sr.
* Category Merchant
* Ecommercecreates, develops, and executes a comprehensive, category specific Ecommerce merchandising strategy that balances the competing requirements of multiple products and services across Office Depot's Ecommerce sites.
* Sr.
* Category Merchant
* Ecommercepossess strong business and marketing acumen that allows him/her to identify and react to emerging trends in the marketplace to ensure the most effective merchandising and customer experience online.
* Responsible for leading the online business of a specific grouping of merchandise categories within one or two divisions.
* Develops and leads the organization's online product and merchandising strategies and partners with merchandising, operations and marketing partners on program execution and fulfillment