Manager, Category Strategy

Job DescriptionJob SummaryWe are seeking a highly skilled, analytical, strategic, and collaborative Manager to join our Merchandising team. In this role, you will play a critical part in driving category strategy, optimizing assortment planning, and ensuring that product offerings align with customer needs, market trends, and business goals. This position will also support supplier negotiations and joint business planning by providing analysis, insights, and cross-functional coordination that strengthen partnerships and enable effective decision-making. Job ResponsibilitiesManages the daily strategic activities that develop and operationalizing a customer-led and data-driven approach to multiple components / processes for a specified section of work within Category/Format Strategy.Collaborates with a team and / or cross-functional partners responsible for developing and implementing strategies that support category at growth within established policies, procedures and standards of the specified discipline. Outcomes managed have an impact on category at initiatives. May become actively involved, as required, to meet schedules and resolve problems highly complex in nature.May make recommended changes to strategy/roadmap for area of responsibility.Develops protocols to support established standards. Manages the development and implementation of processes and /or tools. May oversee team(s) assigned to projects and manages the execution processes.Collaborates and works cross-functionally to develop strategies to mitigate loss and/or optimize profitability. Shares information cross-functionally to improve workflow processes. Interacts with direct reports and peers in management / customers / vendors to share information and improve cross-departmental processes and relationships.Continuously evaluates best practices, methodology and tools and seeks to improve deliverables in order to maintain alignment with business needs.Reviews reports and metrics and identifies opportunities to grow and optimize specified area of responsibility.Analyzes the competitive marketplace for patterns and trends and makes recommendations for application of findings. Provides recommendations in creation and development of templates, methodologies, and presentations relating to strategies for area of responsibility.May create and execute divisional projects based on strategic need. Utilizes project management skills to create client-focused deliverables, delegate work, execute project analysis, and deliver strategic results.Provides guidance, direction, coaching, and counseling to a team of analysts and/or cross-functional partners.Allocates available resources to meet strategic objectives. Fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace.About WalgreensFounded in 1901, Walgreens ( proudly serves nearly 9 million customers and patients each day across its approximately 8,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Walgreens has approximately 220,000 team members, including nearly 90,000 healthcare service providers, and is committed to being the first choice for pharmacy, retail and health services, building trusted relationships that create healthier futures for customers, patients, team members and communities.External Basic QualificationsBachelor's degree and at least 2 years of experience in promotions, marketing, retail, analytics, pricing, consumer packaged goods, insights, vendor collaboration, consumer research, inventory, category management and/or business analysis OR High School Diploma /GED and at least 5 years of experience in promotions, marketing, retail, analytics, pricing, consumer packaged goods, insights, vendor collaboration, consumer research, inventory, category management and/or business analysis.Experience establishing & maintaining relationships with individuals at all levels of the organization.Experience using time management skills such as prioritizing/organizing and tracking details and meeting deadlines of multiple projects with varying completion dates.Experience analyzing and reporting data in order to identify issues, trends, or exceptions to drive improvement of results and find solutions.Experience collaborating with internal and external resources to develop strategies that meet department goals within budget and established timelines.At least 1 years of direct leadership, indirect leadership and/or cross-functional team leadership.Willing to travel up to 15% of the time for business purposes (within state and out of state).Preferred QualificationsExperience identifying operational issues and recommending and implementing strategies to resolve problems.We will consider employment of qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.The Salary below is being provided to promote pay transparency and equal employment opportunities at Walgreens. The actual hourly salary within this range that you will be offered will depend on a variety of factors including geography, skills and abilities, education, experience and other relevant factors. This role will remain open until filled. To review benefits, please click here jobs.walgreens.com/benefits. If you are applying on a job board or unable to click on the link, please copy and paste this URL into your browser jobs.walgreens.com/benefitsJob FunctionMarketingCommon Location200 WILMOT RD,DEERFIELD,IL,60015-04620-00001-2 Pay Grade IDCORP-F2Pay TypeSalariedStart Rate100000Maximum Rate175,000.00: 1769404BR: 200 WILMOT RD,DEERFIELD,IL 60015