Location: Within 3 hours of Temple, TX (Dallas, Austin, Waco, etc.)
The Associate Category Manager's primary purpose is to serve as a trusted, category growth-driving partner to C-store retailer and distributor buying teams. The primary customer for this territory is McLane, and this position represents Mars Wrigley in McLane's lab process, or Center for Category Innovation. Additionally, this position has responsibility for approximately three C-store Retailers. The position will work closely with Account Management to drive alignment and execution against category and brand strategies by leading category management projects with customers. This role will deliver strategic shopper-based insights to the buyer relevant to their specific retail environment and evolving retail conditions. Associate must be excellent at building and maintaining strong relationships, both externally as well as internally to be successful.
What are we looking for?
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree
Demonstrated analytical skills and capability
Strong written and verbal communication skills
2+ years of experience within CPG Sales key accounts, retail, and or analyst accountabilities
Ability to travel up to 25-40% of time
A valid driver's license and clean driving record
Preferred Qualifications:
Nielsen Scan data experience
Knowledge of JDA
Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills
External selling, negotiation, influencing
What will be your key responsibilities?
Build and maintain strong relationships both internally and externally; internally co-creating and collaborating with Sales to drive growth strategies and tactics, externally driving alignment and execution against category growth solutions within the assigned retailers.
Prep for and represent Mars Wrigley in the McLane Lab (CCI) process, presenting customized category reviews, defending MW assortment and selling in innovation and key assortment gaps.
Identify creative and improved approaches to category management which will lead to sustainable category growth. Solutions should apply to assortment (everyday/promotional), placement and everyday shelving and merchandising, pricing (everyday/promotional), promotions and seasonal merchandising; macro level store space allocation and designs, channel trends, solutions should rely upon resources such as shopper and category insights, and Category Vision, etc.
Provide shelf layout and assortment planning insights and recommendations inclusive of evaluating assortment opportunities within the customer and the general market, performing space to sales analyses, recommending optimized item placement based on shopper purchase learnings, and assisting the buyer with all necessary POG tasks as they request and proactively, driving toward Category Captaincy. Develop, maintain, communicate POG scorecard performance on a period basis.
Influence Annual Planning process through full partnership with Sales team, providing actionable, insight-based solutions that support category leadership objectives for customer, category and MWC.
Analyze syndicated, panel and macro data for trends, and decide which opportunities to pursue with customers. Conduct regular business reviews, identifying key insights and opportunities that link to category growth driving recommendations.
Apply creativity and project management skills through the concept ideation, development, piloting, test & learn and scaling process.
Utilize category tools and resources to bring solid category insights to the buyer. Tools include, but are not limited to the following: IRI, Nielsen Scan and Panel databases, Numerator, space management software (JDA), Kantar RichMix, market research findings from CSI, Kantar etc.
What can you expect from Mars?
Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
This role includes a company vehicle.
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Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.
