Category Management & Insights Director

Job Description: Changing the World, One Kibble at a Time Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a Category Management & Insights Director to join our rapidly growing company. Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food crafter with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. From our humble beginnings, founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry. Our purpose, To Earn Pet Lover Trust Every Day so Pets Thrive for a Lifetime, provides the foundation for our highest aspirations as a company. Being a partner to the communities that surround us – and the environment that sustains us – are top priorities. We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company. Here’s the scoop - Summary The Category Management & Insights Director is responsible for providing category insights and analytics to drive growth for Dog and Cat within North America at Champion Petfoods. The mission is to provide unparalleled value to sales, marketing, and retail partners, by providing best in class portfolio management strategies, shelf leadership, and category insights to unlock accelerated growth. The associate will manage a team of category management and analytics professionals and work closely with team members across US and Canadian sales, regional and global marketing teams, sales revenue management, and finance professionals. This role will work out of our Colorado, Nashville or New York City offices and work a hybrid schedule with 3 days in-person. Key Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership Provide guidance and recommendations to Sales teams which enable Champion Petfoods category leadership and growth to Retail partners Provide category, brand, product analytics and insights to enable strategic planning and advantage for Champion Petfood brands including but not limited to: assortment reviews, pricing analysis, new item introductions, promotional planning and evaluation, shopper usage analysis Provide the team and stakeholders with on-going information regarding initiatives, opportunities, issues and changes to plans Market Trends Monitor and communicate relevant market data to customer and internal stakeholders Present macro-trends and solutions to stakeholders Research and provide direction to stakeholders on trends as they present themselves via industry journals/experts Reporting Develop and deliver timely reporting for evaluation of customers and Champion Petfoods performance Leverage access to all information systems which affect the ability to perform category analysis and implement category management processes Utilize tools and processes such as item optimization, customized marketing, shelf space optimization/utilization, in-store merchandising, pricing, and promotion planning Key Functional Skills/Knowledge: Demonstrates the knowledge and application of Category Management processes and theories of delivering value-added category and shopper solutions Demonstrates ability to select, analyze and integrate consumer/shopper, customer and category information to deliver business solutions in alignment with Champion Petfoods and customer strategies Stays current with new developments and seeks ways to use technology to increase learning, productivity and business results Gathers, understands and leverages trade marketing in order to justify the use of our current programs and improve the overall competitiveness of our customer programs Understands the roles and importance of vendor relationships and manages vendors to provide business solutions that address stakeholder's needs and improve the company's competitive position Effectively plans and manages major business projects and activities that directly support key goals Requirements 10+ years’ experience in Consumer Packaged Goods Deep expertise in category management and analytics Demonstrated experience building and leading high performing leading teams Demonstrated experience building Best-in-Class ways-of-working with Sales, Insights and Regional Marketing teams Advanced Experience with Panel and Scan Syndicated Data (IRI or Nielsen) Advanced Experience with Space Management Software (JDA or Apollo) Ability to travel 20% of time What can you expect from Champion? Safety: a strong commitment to ensure all people are provided with a safe, healthy and respectful environment. Earnings: Compensation range from $147,000 - $202,000 annual salary, annual bonus eligibility, 401k with company matching. Industry Competitive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision and employee assistance programs to meet your individual or family needs. Continuing Education: In house & online learning & development, as well as an education assistance program. Quality: a dedication to uphold the highest standards of authenticity, nutritional integrity, and food safety, to earn the trust of Pet Lovers everywhere. Other Perks: Free bag of premium pet food each month. What are you waiting for? Join the pack! Come as you are. We value diversity in all forms and know the power it can bring. Workplace equality allows for creative ideas to bloom, diverse points of views to be heard, and increases overall happiness. That sounds pretty good to us. Champion is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other creed, you are wanted here. #cpfind The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, if eligible, including variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Eligibility for these additional elements depend on the position offered and the employee’s work schedule (i.e., part-time schedule, store associate). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment. USD 147,456.00 - USD 202,752.00 Mars is a family-owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL®, and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 140,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.