Associate Manager, Category Analysis

Overview:

ASSOCIATE MANAGER, CATEGORY MANAGEMENT

30 Eglington Avenue West, Mississauga

Torontoybrid, 3 days on site

Permanent, full-time

As an Associate Category Manager, you will address the needs of the business by using retailer sales data on consumers and shoppers to generate actionable insights for Keurig Canada and its partners. This role liaises with the commercial strategy and sales functions to develop client recommendations, demonstrate our leadership in the category, and maximize mutual volume and profits. This position reports to the Manager, Category Management (Coffee, Brewers and Accessories).

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and cultivate business relationships with assigned accounts’ contacts that establish KDP as the indispensable partner for all category management needs;
• Support Key Account Managers in identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the coffee markets and turn them into meaningful observations & solutions to stimulate category growth;
• Work collaboratively with key internal stakeholders from Commercial Strategy and Sales ensuring internal strategic alignment on category recommendations;
• Lead analysis collected from a range of different sources (ex. Nielsen, NPD, Shopper Intelligence, JDA) including also retailer databases (ex: Retail Link, LDIA etc). Identify business opportunities, risks and performance gaps (ie. distribution, assortment mix, incrementally, size, shelving, placement);
• Provide ad-hoc category management reporting, trend analysis, customized reports, and special project work directly to internal / external leaders as necessary;
• Accountable in presenting market trends and product competitiveness (4P analysis) resulting in fact-based strategies and tactics that will drive the retailers’ Category and Keurig Canada sales growth;
• Act as a key contact between internal and external partners, representing category leadership function at appropriate internal or customer meetings;
• Analyze, prepare and present merchandising recommendations to key internal and external partners such as planograms;
• Employ critical thinking and problem solving skills to recognize and anticipate issues and opportunities by elevating analyses beyond reporting and translate insight into retail action;
• Keep abreast of developments and best practices in Category Management, pursue the knowledge needed to improve departmental capabilities and professional agility.

QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree in business, administration or any other relevant field;
• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in category management in consumer goods, preferably in the food industry;
• High proficiency with Nielsen (Discover, Homescan)
• Experience working with retailer POS/Loyalty databases (ex: Retail Link, LDIA etc) is an asset;
• Planogram management software (JDA/Blue Yonder Space planning) is an asset;
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel and Powerpoint).

COMPETENCIES

• English (French Bilingualism is a nice to have)
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
• Excellent presentation skills in both English and French
• Good analytical and critical thinking;
• Attention to details;
• Independent, dynamic person with excellent teamwork skills;
• Excellent time management and priority-setting skills;
• Ability to work in a constantly changing, fast-paced environment;
• Aptitude to work in a collaborative, cross-departmental work environment;
• Build easily strong internal and external relationships;
• Ability to juggle with many sources of data and synthesize information into a selling story.