Director, Commercial Excellence & Category Management

Job Description

Job Description

Director, Commercial Excellence & Category Management

Our client is seeking a strategic, hands-on commercial leader to drive category growth, merchandising excellence, and customer engagement across a complex retail environment. This executive will lead category strategy, strengthen vendor partnerships, improve commercial execution, and develop a high-performing team responsible for profitable sales growth.

As part of our process after applying, you may receive an invitation from our AI Recruiter Avery for a short conversation that lets you share more about your background beyond your resume. For questions, contact

• Job Type: Direct Hire
• Location: Dallas, TX — Hybrid
• Compensation: This job is expected to pay about $220,000–$250,000 base plus a 33% bonus
• No Visa Sponsorship Available for this role

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and execute enterprise commercial and category strategies that increase sales, gross margin, traffic, basket size, and customer frequency across foodservice, fuel, lottery, and general retail categories.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Category Managers while establishing clear objectives for profitability, inventory productivity, vendor performance, and promotional effectiveness.
• Drive hands-on merchandising strategy, including assortment optimization, product placement, pricing, promotional calendars, product lifecycle management, and store-level execution.
• Build strategic supplier partnerships, lead Joint Business Planning, negotiate vendor funding and promotional investments, and create measurable growth initiatives.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Digital/IT, and Marketing to strengthen loyalty, customer analytics, commercial reporting, forecasting, and execution accountability.

What Gets You the Job:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience, including deep, direct category management experience within the convenience-store channel.
• 5+ years leading Category Management, Commercial, Merchandising, or related teams, with demonstrated success developing leaders and driving performance across multiple categories.
• Hands-on expertise in convenience retail merchandising, product placement, pricing, promotions, assortment planning, vendor negotiation, and category profitability across foodservice, fuel, lottery, and general retail.
• Experience developing Joint Business Plans, managing strategic supplier relationships, and using customer and financial analytics to improve sales, margin, promotional ROI, and vendor performance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, Retail Management, or a related field, plus strong financial acumen and experience with budgets, P&Ls, forecasting, loyalty/CRM initiatives, and cross-functional leadership.

Irvine Technology Corporation (ITC) connects top talent with exceptional opportunities in IT, Security, Engineering, and Design. From startups to Fortune 500s, we partner with leading companies nationwide. Our AI recruiter, Avery helps streamline the first step of your journey—so we can focus on what matters most: helping you grow. Join us. Let us ELEVATE your career!

Irvine Technology Corporation provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Irvine Technology Corporation complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.