Reporting to the Director, Category Leadership, the Category Leadership Manager will be responsible for driving Category Leadership principles across the Category and Danone.  Serving as a leader, being an unbiased analytic and category leadership expert using the category management process as a decision platform for all initiatives designed to optimize the Category’s performance.   The Category Leader acts as an interface between the field team, and the resources needed to develop the category strategy to drive growth at the customer.  This position requires both data and business savvy, as well as effective communication and problem-solving skills to provide consultative category leadership to the customer.  Create compelling, actionable category reviews that will captivate customers, translate to strategies, and grow sales for the Category and Danone.

Key responsibilities:

• Become a thought leader and go-to resource for UNFI and Multi-Cultural accounts by developing category insights that translate to action plans, and executing the category vision to drive growth
  • Perform Category and Channel analysis through synthesizing a variety of data sources, helping to build strategies that drive results
  • Analyze and evaluate Multi-Cultural demographic profiles and consumer purchasing behavior, staying abreast of, and sharing global consumer trends to the enterprise
  • Collaborate cross functionally to co-develop UNFI Joint Business Plans and strategies for achieving Category growth, market share and space targets
  • Assist in requests by Category and Sales Directors to support strategy, drive sales and execution of category vision
  • Leverage category-specific experts at center for best category knowledge and newest category management insights
  • Influence planogram at UNFI Corporate level to drive assortment and merchandizing decisions that can be scaled down to independents
  • UNFI Closed Loop Retail support through identifying HERO gaps and delist recommendations, scorecarding progress to create a best-in-class assortment that can be cascaded to retailers
  • Multi-Cultural SKU itemization and POG recommendations for UNFI SoCal retailers with a strong focus on Superior and Northgate
  • Use market and shopper research to build multi-cultural 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
  • AWG support as needed for special projects

The salary range for this position is $75k-105k. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate’s relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions.  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

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You’ll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free,  STōK® Cold Brew Coffee ®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®. 

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. 

You’ll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. 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.
 
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