***THIS IS NOT A JOB WITH FORCEBRANDS***

Our client, a high-growth consumer brand, is seeking an experienced Category Insights & Development Manager to turn data into actionable, succinct selling stories in partnership with the sales team.

*Candidates must be located in Eastern or Central Time Zones

JOB TITLE: Category Development Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Category Manager works to drive profitable growth by understanding our consumers, categories, and customers better than any of our competitors. This role creates business reviews, and provides analytical support for business and customer teams to help profitably grow volume, profit, share, and brand equity. This position partners with cross-functional team members and senior leadership to identify customer/category trends, cross-category dynamics, total product department best practices, consumer purchasing insights, customer business results, category management, and opportunities to help develop the business.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide continuous enhancement of an effective and efficient reporting system designed to leverage Category Management and primary and secondary information resources
• Produce accurate weekly reports in an efficient and timely manner through the use of internal and external data sources such as retail POS reports and SPINS
• Perform ad hoc analysis related to historical POS, inventory, and shipment trends at multiple levels, including retail store and product levels
• Audit retail execution data for adherence to customer planograms
• Develop formal category reviews and business planning presentations to both internal and external customers and assist in the presentation
• Analyze test markets for new customers and new product launches
• Maintain and manage SPINS database and product definitions

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• 5-7 years of work experience in Category Management, Trade Marketing, Analytics, Shopper Marketing and/or Insights; CPG and/or Retail experience preferred
• Ability to integrate multiple data/analysis tools and approaches to identify opportunities for growth
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret and articulate key insights and conclusions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to present both internally (team, senior leadership) and externally (retailers, distributors)
• Experience with syndicated or panel data services such as IRI, Nielsen, or 84.51
• Customer service focus to ensure internal/external partners receive quality sales support
• Willingness to travel to sales and customer meetings, planning workshops, etc. (approx. 1-2 trips per month)