Associate Category Leadership Manager- Walmart

Serve as an analytic and category management expert using the category management process as a decision platform for all initiatives designed to optimize category performance at the customer(s). The Category Manager acts as the active interface between sales, marketing, business development, supply chain, shopper marketing, shopper insights, business analytics, and market research in developing category story to drive profitability and category growth at the customer. Work closely with the buyer to define the vision of the category. Lead the customer team to become a thought leader for the customer when it comes to category management. Create compelling, actionable stories that will captivate customers and grow category sales for the mutual benefit of both company and customer.

Key responsibilities

Become a thought leader at the customer(s) by developing category story and executing the category vision to drive category growth
• Partner with customer to understand their category vision and direction
• Leverage category-specific experts at center for best category knowledge and newest category management insights
• Adjust category story based on shopper and customer unique peculiarities
• Educate the customer and sales team on consumer and business category insights, including category stories that influence customers to act
• Bring a category perspective to customer conversations and customer plans - less focus on Danone brands, but on the overall category
• Support field Sales Directors, CBMs, KAMs, and Analysts on building the customer plan and ensuring that category insights are incorporated into joint business and customer planning
• Work with customers' buying team on the development of the proper category performance tracking tools and lead the creation and distribution of these tools
• Lead planogram development process and adjacency analysis
  • Look for opportunities to influence the customer-specific category planograms
  • Identify adjacency opportunities (e.g., expanding natural portion of dairy refrigerated space) and execute to capture these opportunities
  • Assist in requests by sales team for information/presentations to support strategy, drive sales and execution of category vision
• Collect and use data to drive category insights and execute the category vision
  • Become and expert in Walmart Scintilla data to understand and share the voice of the Walmart customer with both internal and external stakeholders.
  • Develop depth in category knowledge by working with the Category Leadership Managers in the Center, Category Commercial, and Channel Development teams.
  • Stay abreast of global consumer trends across channels / categories
  • Use market and shopper research to build category knowledge, understand competitive dynamics and recognize shopper purchasing behavior that support building a customer-specific category story
  • Identify category trends, fair share opportunity gaps, and share of wallet and leakage opportunities that lead to customer recommendations
  • Track consumer performance metrics that drive the category (AWOP / Penetration / Frequency) at customer level
• Provide best-practice insights back to Category Center of Excellence
  • Contribute to a category center of excellence - provide feedback to the center based on region/customer specific needs
  • Share success stories as well as opportunities with Center of Excellence
  • Analyze category growth projects through customer return on investment view

Key performance metrics

• Category sales and sales growth (within region/customer)
• Category profitability and profit growth (within region/customer)

Scope of managerial and leadership responsibilities

• No direct reports

Career planning

• Estimated time spent in role: 2 - 3 years
• Potential future roles:
  • Category Manager
  • Sr. Category Manager
  • Customer Business Manager
  • Marketing Analytics
  • Other core sales sub-functions (Trade Marketing, etc.)

The base compensation range for this position is $75,000-$105,000 commensurate with experience. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

• 4 year college degree in Business or related field (Finance, etc.)
• 1-2 years previous experience in category management or within CPG industry with increasing levels of responsibility
• 2+ Sales Analytics or Category Management
• Prior experience managing relationships with retailer partners
• Expert in syndicated data required, proficient in shopper/panel data and space management
• 10% travel

At Danone North America, you'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world like Activia, Silk, Two Good, Oikos, evian, and Happy Family. You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working together to make sure our brands create real benefits for people, communities, and the planet. We have 6,000+ employees across the U.S. and Canada. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.