Category Manager Cocina (Prepared Foods)

JOB SUMMARY:

This position has responsibility for the merchandising, marketing and financial objectives and decisions established for the assigned product categories through building and maximizing an optimized strategy and plan for price, promotion, placement, assortment, quality, production, work content, sourcing strategies and the tactics to achieve them. Works in partnership with Department Leader, Field Team and Operations to communicate, train and implement successful sales strategies that meet the company objectives of fresh, authentic and on-trend Mexican Foods.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain and grow our image as the premier Mexican provider of authentic goods and flavors. Create products and programs that will deliver quality, service and customer satisfaction; Maintain our competitive edge through continuous improvement of products, processes, ingredients, suppliers, training and development.

• Deliver a portfolio of products that deliver on our goal of differentiation through Mexican authenticity and cultural relevance while also staying true to current customer trends and eating habits.

• Analyzes category performance across a variety of indicators - sales, gross profit, shrink, contribution and profitability and develops annual category plans based on a thorough understanding of the category, consumer, and the marketplace.

• Develops and executes strategic plans to support category sales and margin goals. Manages assortment for best use of space and ability to meet consumer needs both annually and seasonally.

• Ensures margin targets are met while preserving our pricing position and strategies.

• Develops and executes promotional and brand building plans for each category to drive sales and support margin goals.

• Directs the buying activities of assigned products and for building and maintaining collaborative relationships with suppliers.

• Monitors raw materials and other product costs to ensure best quality ingredients, vendor pricing and ability to manage retail prices effectively.

• Applies understanding of cost drivers along with negotiating skills to effectively negotiate the best costs with suppliers.

• Perform frequent and regular store visits to monitor execution and adjust strategies.

• Partner with Operations to review and constantly strive for improved processes that emphasize 5S cleanliness and sanitation, workplace organization, labor efficiency, associate safety, delivery of exceptional customer service, consistency of product quality, provision and utilization of appropriate equipment, and attractiveness of presentation.

• Work with Operations and Field Trainers to set clear expectations and direction regarding business processes, service standards, and earned hours/related labor requirements to achieve optimal in-store execution of authentic goods and programs.

• Directs the replenishment function (via assigned Replenishment support) to ensure product availability, consistency of supply and service level objectives and applies cost-of-goods insights to drive increased efficiency.

• Reviews and recommends new products, rotational seasonal offerings, quality and the number of items carried. Responsible for size of product inventory and rate of turnover.

• Works with Marketing and Operations to ensure successful communications and launch.

• Understands our customer and the market trends in food and develops category plans to drive increased sales performance.

• Monitors and reports supplier performance with regards to price, quality, assortment and service. Frequency of review is driven by category review schedule and category role basis.

• Collects all funds available to achieve or exceed gross margin targets and to support Shopper Marketing initiatives as appropriate.

• Follows guidelines defined by the Category Role Strategic Guidelines relative to pricing, assortment, plan-o-grams/schematics.

• Assesses the competitive landscape to understand their strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities and threats; including all trade channels.

• Identifies and develops new sourcing and procurement of products with the goal of enhancing assortments and driving sales.

• Partners with our R&D/Culinary team to develop solutions that will drive customer engagement, sales and fits within our standards for service, production, quality and availability.

• Partners with our Outsourcing and Commissary Team to identify and develop sourcing alternatives that fit within our filters of production and outsourcing with an eye towards quality, signature item supremacy and in-store excitement and differentiation.

• Investigates and pursues new distribution opportunities to leverage the cost of goods.

• Considers and integrates Private Label merchandising into the appropriate categories according to strategic direction defined by leadership.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS:

Education/Experience/Skills

• College degree preferred or minimum of 5 years equivalent experience in various Fresh or Prepared Foods
• 5-10 years of retail experience preferred
• 2-5 year's experience with category management practices
• Strong preference is given to applicants who have completed the WAFC Retail Management Certificate Program (RMCP).

Knowledge Skills and Abilities Required:

• Skilled in the following areas using internal, market and/or Nielsen/IRI data:

• Product assortment

• Promotional planning

• Placement on shelf

• Sales analysis and planning

• Demonstrated excellence in Strategic Planning as it relates to Merchandising and setting a plan for a category

• Working knowledge of Private Label strategies

• Excellent financial and data analysis capabilities

• Excellent supply chain knowledge

• Self-distributing and major warehouse experience

• Able to discuss and negotiate:

• Terms

• Lower cost of goods

• Menu pricing

• Fund management

• Excellent communication and team building skills

• Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred

Physical Demands and Conditions

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Some requirements may be modified to accommodate individuals with disabilities:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; stand; and use the hands to handle, finger, or feel objects, tools or controls;
• The employee must frequently walk, talk or hear, and reach with the hands and arms; occasionally, the employee must crouch or kneel;
• The employee must occasionally exert or lift up to 25 pounds carrying boxes of records and forms and frequently exert or lift moderate amounts of weight;
• Successful performance requires specific vision abilities that include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• The job requires the ability to travel to stores and marketplace frequently.
• The work environment is that typical of an office and retail store. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER NOTICE: The job duties, elements, responsibilities, skills, functions, experience, educational factors, and the requirements and conditions listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that an employee may be required to perform. The Employer reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and to require employees to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business or the work environment change.

Your Right to Work - In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Northgate Markets will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Ban the Box Law).