Category Buyer, Produce

The Fresh Market & You:

Our mission is to make everyday eating extraordinary for our guests. We create a warm, welcoming, memorable experience with exceptional, personal service. We're looking for a new team member who strives for excellence and brings positive energy, commitment, and a "can-do" attitude to work every day. We value teamwork and celebrate our successes as a team and will value your contribution!

Added Benefits for choosing The Fresh Market Team:

• Team Member discount up to 40%
• Health, Dental, & Vision insurance available for individual, spouse, partner, and family.
• 401K contribution and match for part-time and full-time team members
• Personal time off and additional time off purchase plans are available
• AND much more!

About the Position:

The Fresh Market currently has an opening for a Category Buyer, Produce in our Store Support Center (099). The Category Buyer will be responsible for the overall promotion of their category portfolio to maximize consumer appeal and increase the sales and profitability of the business while driving sustainable growth. You will support the department in the creation, development, execution, and financial performance of an assigned category.

What You'll Do:

• Responsible for developing a SKU level demand plan by analyzing sales trends, promotional activity, vendor agreements, and presentation minimums.
• Collaboration with distributors to increase service levels.
• Negotiate product costs and vendor funds for goods for sale.
• Negotiate costs on goods not for resale (packaging and supplies).
• Product procurement and allocation.
• Develop in-store inventory level targets by category.
• Responsible for cost accuracy in the database.
• Collaborate with Retail Category Management/Own Brands on the forecast for new items, product transitions, and the phasing out of discontinued products.
• Monitor the sales performance of new products and develop a history that can be used as a guide in future launches.
• Identify excess, inadequate, and/or obsolete inventory positions, providing recommendations to the retail category team.
• Reduce warehouse liability/salvage.

Qualifications:

At a minimum, you will need:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 4-7+ years of Category Management or related experience.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of the grocery business and systems/processes.
• Experience in understanding consumer demand in the fast-paced retail/grocery environment.
• Ability to develop/maintain strong working relationships with peers and cross-functional teams.
• Possesses strong merchandising, product, and marketing skills.
• Demonstrate strong analytical, negotiating, and problem-solving skills.
• Willing and able to travel for trade shows and store trips.
• Flexible and adaptive to changing priorities.
• Able to organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated skills with MS Office applications.
• Project management skills.

Preferred qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience utilizing Nielsen and/or IRI.
• Experience with MicroStrategy.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: Consistent with applicable laws, TFM will make reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and team members, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to TFM. This guiding principle applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring and job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer:

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and related medical conditions, national origin, genetic information, uniformed service, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.

The statements in this job description are provided to describe the general nature and level of work expected in this role. While these statements include the essential functions of the job, they are not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. As we work as a team, there may be times team members are needed to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities based on business needs.