Category Analyst

Position Title: CSI Specialist Location: Knoxville Job Family: Analyst Reports to: Manager, Category & Shopper Insights Summary Supports achievement of brand goals and successful execution of brand strategies through use of syndicated data and consumer information in development of national, regional, and account-specific plans. Provides direction and leadership on distribution, shelving, promotional merchandising, and pricing through use of syndicated data and consumer insights. Leverages in-depth knowledge of both retailer, shopper, and corporate strategies to inform brand team decisions, develop brand goals, execute plans in partnership with Sales and broker, and lead assessment of performance. Leads strategic category management initiatives both internally and with key retailers in conjunction with broker support personnel. Provides ongoing education to all stakeholders to ensure appropriate use of data and active application of insights. Act as a thought leader in the organization related to category, retailer, and shopper behavior insights. Major Position Responsibilities It is an essential requirement of the job that the employee have the ability to function in a feedback-rich, team-based environment. Employees must possess good interpersonal skills and be compatible with co-workers. ESSENTIAL 40% Retail Sales Engagement: Position the company as category experts through the development and delivery of value-added category information and shopper insights to retailers (directly and through Sales/brokers) Build strategic relationships with key retailers through leading category management initiatives and serving in category captain/advisor/validator roles Provide strategic input and analytical support to Sales teams in development and achievement of brand goals at our retailer partners Leverage insights from all available syndicated and proprietary data to develop effective tactics for distribution, shelving, merchandising, and pricing 25% Brand/Innovation Team Engagement: As a core member of cross-functional brand/innovation team, provide insights into retailer, competitor, and category dynamics to inform the development of strategies for distribution, shelving, promotional merchandising, and pricing Provide leadership on teams related to performance against strategies through the utilization of all available data sources 25% Category Management Leadership and Education: Leadership of strategic category management initiatives internally (i.e. shelf initiative, portfolio analysis) Enable broad data-driven decision-making through the education/training of internal personnel and sales teams on proper use and interpretation of all available syndicated data sources Train broker personnel on Company's category management best practices and shopper insights available from scan, panel, loyalty card, and custom research data and tools 10% Professional Development: Identify and participate in professional development opportunities including on-the-job coaching and training, special projects, business teams, Company University courses, corporate training programs, industry seminars and conferences. SUPPLEMENTAL Travel: up to 25% Internal Customers: Support of Retail Sales and Brand / Innovation Teams Collaborate with Marketing, Market Research, Trade Marketing, and Information Services External Customers: Support of Retailers; Broker Business Intelligence, Shelf Technology, and Business Managers Collaborate with Syndicated Data Suppliers Qualifications Degrees Bachelors degree required; Masters in business or market research a plus Years of Experience 2 minimum years experience in Consumer Packaged Goods and/or Retail Grocery in relevant areas such as Category Management, Sales, Sales Planning, Trade Marketing and Market Research. Highly analytical roles in other industries are acceptable too. Specialized Skills Advanced to Expert analytical skills with ability to identify business issues, form hypotheses, and apply relevant data (syndicated scan/panel, loyalty card, custom studies, & shipment/financial data) to support conclusions and develop strategic insights Ability to translate strategic insights into fact-based plans/presentations for internal and external retailers Proficiency in Microsoft Office (including Excel and PowerPoint) is required; Nielsen/ IRI experience is beneficial Demonstrated ability to work with data in database and/or spreadsheet environment – experience with retailer data sources and related software is beneficial Ability to manage indirect reports from our broker Business Intelligence and Shelf Technology departments Must be able to prioritize multiple tasks/projects while delivering results and meeting deadlines Workplace Conditions Ability to work 40 hours per week and as needed. Office This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, fax machines, etc. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. #J-18808-Ljbffr