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Category Director
KeHE
Naperville, IL, United States
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Category Director - Cheese
Good people, working with good people, for our common good.
Sound good?
KeHE-a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor-is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food and good service, we'd love to talk to you!
Come join KeHE as a Category Director - Cheese
Primary Responsibilities:
The Cheese Category Director’s primary responsibility is to manage the Cheese category of products for the company across all regions and all customer accounts.
The position will be responsible for the curation, itemization, pricing and overall go-to-market strategy for the Cheese category to maximize consumer appeal. Relationships with vendors and product management will also be part of the Category Specialist’s essential duties. Product management consists of every aspect of the products success, driving sales support. An excellent Category Director must have extensive experience in understanding consumer needs and the retail environment on a national scale. They must have a commercial merchant mindset and full comprehension of marketing and sales principles. Exceptional communication skills are also key for success in this role.
KeHE’s commitment to its retail customers is to provide a best-in-class product offering which covers the entire department’s needs, at market competitive pricing. The Category Director serves as the thought leader for this process within their given category to bring this commitment to fruition.
The goal of the Category Director role is to increase sales and profitability of business to drive sustainable growth in three key segments:
• “Domestic and Imported Cheese Itemization”
• “Cut and Wrap” and other Value Added Cheese Based Itemization
• “Cheese Alternatives” and Plant Based Proteins
Essential Functions:
• Analyze data or insights to determine industry and consumer trends
• Devise long-term development strategies for product categories
• Prepare and execute new products to current customers and target accounts
• Develop exit strategies for unsuccessful products
• Foster trust relationships with vendors to achieve better pricing and quality of services
• Exceed established metrics of inside income performance and align sales behind key strategic partnerships to maximize profit potential.
• Assist Supply Chain to Manage Spoils performance to exceed budgeted metrics while maintaining fill rate metrics throughout the category.
• Determine the positioning of a product category to maximize visibility
• Liaise with marketing teams and purchasing to determine competitive pricing and promotional activities of a product category
• Develop exclusive and own-brand product mix in all three segments of the category, and bring these to market to maintain a differentiated product mix.
• Create a competitive advantage for KeHE via other distribution channels by offering aggressive pricing and first-to-market product ranges.
• Collaborate with buyers and merchandisers to expand product categories
• Present at sales meetings
• Conduct trainings at retail level to encourage store support
• Make forecasts for product demand to ensure the sustainability of inventory
• Assume responsibility of budget development and revenue for category, in alignment with overall mission to drive Kehe Fresh sales above $1BN annually by 2020, with 4% EBITDA performance.
Minimum Requirements:
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Culinary Degree or Certificate Preferred
• Minimum 5 Years of retail and/or wholesale culinary experience required
• Specialized training and/or experience in product development, promotional execution, and vendor management preferred.
Qualifications / Additional Skills / Aptitude:
• Proven experience as category director or similar role
• Industry-best knowledge of category, marketing and sales principles
• Understanding of data analysis and forecasting methods
• Proficint in MS Office Suite and Outlook
• An analytical mind with a strategic ability
• Excellent communication and people skills
• Flexibility in schedule
• Ability to multitask and to adapt to change
• Understanding budgets and maintaining mindful decisions to stay within those budgets
• Maintain list of targets accounts and report on status monthly
• Preparing for and executing food and trade shows
• Travel on an as needed basis with a minimum of 2 travel days per week on average
• Report weekly to Director of Vendor Management your daily report with notes and plan for following week.
• Manage short coded product and maintain relationship with customers who will assist in buying short coded products and exceed budgeted metrics in spoils performance.
• Create category presentation with Marketing and ensure they are accurate and updated monthly
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude and working environment
• Strong sales ability
• Tireless work ethic