Associate Director, Category Strategy & Insights Taste Elevation

Kraft/Heinz

Job Description
The Associate Director, Customer Category Strategy serves as a strategic leader connecting customer teams, category insights, retailer intelligence, and the broader commercial organization. Reporting to the Vice President of Customer Strategy & Retail Intelligence, this leader is responsible for transforming data, shopper insights, omnichannel trends, retailer feedback, and market intelligence into actionable category roadmaps that support category performance across physical and digital retail environments.

The role combines local-level space analytics, category performance data, consumer and shopper insights, retailer information, and macro and micro market trends to identify opportunities and develop compelling customer-specific stories. As a leader of a team of subject matter experts aligned to a business unit, the Associate Director will help shape category roadmaps, influence retailer decision-making, and uncover opportunities through innovation, collaboration, and disciplined execution.

This individual serves as a strategic category expert both internally and externally, partnering closely with Business Unit Sales & Strategy (BUSS) teams to provide retailer, category, and space insights that inform commercial decision-making. The role ensures category recommendations are grounded in retailer realities, future retail trends, and evolving shopper behaviors while advancing long-term category leadership.
The Associate Director will lead efforts to identify emerging retail opportunities, drive space and merchandising strategies, evaluate evolving omnichannel retail models, and develop recommendations that position the organization and its customers for success in the future retail environment.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Category Strategy
Develop and deliver customer-specific category roadmaps that support category performance and long-term retailer and business objectives.
Integrate multiple data sources-including space analytics, syndicated data, retailer data, shopper insights, consumer research, and market trends-to identify opportunities and develop actionable recommendations.
Translate complex analyses into compelling customer-facing stories that influence retailer decisions and strengthen category leadership.
Build strategic recommendations focused on assortment, shelving, merchandising, space productivity, omnichannel execution, and the future evolution of the retail environment.
Identify category opportunities at national, regional, and local market levels through advanced analytics, retailer insights, and changing consumer behaviors.
Leverage retailer strategies, category trends, and market intelligence to develop forward-looking category roadmaps aligned to customer and business priorities.
Omnichannel Strategy, Space & Retail Excellence
Lead the development of omnichannel category roadmaps that connect physical retail, e-commerce, click-and-collect, digital merchandising, and emerging retail formats.
Evaluate changing shopper behaviors, channel dynamics, and retailer strategies to ensure category recommendations remain relevant across all points of purchase.
Partner with customer teams to identify opportunities that improve category performance through optimized space, merchandising, and omnichannel execution.
Assess the impact of evolving retail models, store formats, digital capabilities, and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for category leadership and future store development.
Champion thought leadership around the future of retail, helping customers and internal teams understand how category strategies must evolve across physical and digital environments.
Incorporate emerging retail trends, technology, and shopper behaviors into category roadmaps and strategic recommendations.
Customer Partnership & Business Unit Support
Partner closely with Customer Teams and Business Unit Sales & Strategy (BUSS) teams to develop retailer-specific category strategies aligned with customer objectives.
Serve as the category, retailer, and space strategy subject matter expert for assigned business units and customer teams.
Provide category, retailer, and space insights that support commercial planning, strategic decision-making, and customer engagement activities.
Translate retailer feedback, category trends, space opportunities, and field insights into actionable recommendations that inform category roadmaps and business priorities.
Equip sales, BUSS, and customer teams with actionable insights, category stories, retailer intelligence, and space-based recommendations that can be effectively activated in-market.
Support key customer meetings, joint business planning sessions, category reviews, and executive business reviews through compelling, insight-based storytelling.
Establish feedback loops that continuously capture retailer and field perspectives to improve category recommendations, priorities, and execution.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Enterprise Collaboration
Lead strategic collaboration across Business Units (BU), Business Unit Sales & Strategy (BUSS), Commercial Capabilities, Retail Teams, Supply Chain, Marketing, Insights, Analytics, and Revenue Growth Management functions.
Align category roadmaps with broader commercial objectives while ensuring recommendations are operationally feasible, retailer-relevant, and grounded in category insights.
Partner with Commercial Capabilities teams to develop tools, frameworks, and best practices that strengthen category leadership and customer-facing effectiveness.
Collaborate with Supply Chain and business partners to ensure category recommendations consider inventory, fulfillment, and operational realities.
Influence innovation, assortment, merchandising, space planning, and go-to-market decisions through fact-based insights and retailer-informed recommendations.
Foster alignment across stakeholders to drive execution against shared business priorities.
Innovation, Test & Learn & Retail Solutions
Identify emerging retail opportunities, technologies, and industry trends that can unlock new sources of category value and competitive advantage.
Lead the development and coordination of test-and-learn initiatives designed to evaluate new retail solutions, merchandising concepts, space optimization approaches, future-store formats, and omnichannel execution opportunities.
Partner with customer teams and cross-functional stakeholders to design pilots, establish success metrics, measure results, and scale successful initiatives.
Create a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement by leveraging data and insights to validate new approaches and accelerate learning.
Share best practices, key learnings, and scalable retail solutions across business units and customer teams.
Monitor industry innovation and emerging retailer strategies to identify opportunities that shape the future of category management and retail execution.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, coach, and develop a team of category strategy, insights, analytics, space planning, and retail intelligence subject matter experts aligned to a business unit.
Foster a culture of curiosity, innovation, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
Establish clear priorities, development plans, and performance expectations that drive business impact and employee growth.
Promote analytical rigor, strategic thinking, thought leadership, and storytelling excellence across the team.
Build organizational capability in category strategy, retailer strategy, space analytics, omnichannel execution, and future-of-retail thinking.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Analytics, Statistics, Consumer Behavior, or a related field.
8+ years of experience in category strategy, category management, category leadership, retail analytics, shopper insights, sales strategy, or related commercial functions.
3+ years of experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
Demonstrated ability to synthesize multiple data sources into actionable business recommendations and category roadmaps.
Strong understanding of retail, omnichannel commerce, category management principles, retailer strategies, and shopper behavior.
Experience working with syndicated data, retailer data, consumer insights, space analytics, and category performance metrics.
Proven success influencing senior leaders, cross-functional stakeholders, and external customer partners.
Exceptional communication, storytelling, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Preferred
MBA or other advanced degree.
Experience working directly with national and regional retail customers.
Expertise in category strategy, omnichannel retail, space optimization, retail merchandising, future-store concepts, and advanced consumer insights.
Experience leading customer pilots, retail innovation initiatives, or test-and-learn programs.
Familiarity with Circana/IRI, NielsenIQ, retailer loyalty data, space planning tools, shopper panel data, and advanced analytics platforms.
Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz' strategy and values.
New Hire Base Salary Range:
$164,200.00 - $205,200.00 Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.
The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors
Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family's needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.
Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.
You'll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:
Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
Emotional - Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
Financial - 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability
Location(s)
Chicago/Aon Center
Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact View email address on jobs2careers.com for assistance.

Apply

Vacancy posted 1 day ago

Similar jobs that could be interesting for youBased on the Associate Director, Category Strategy & Insights Taste Elevation in Palos Hills, IL vacancy

Associate Director, Category Strategy & Insights Taste Elevation
...Job Description The Associate Director, Customer Category Strategy serves as a strategic leader connecting customer teams, category insights, retailer intelligence, and the broader commercial organization. Reporting to the Vice President of Customer Strategy & Retail...
Suggested
Local area
Flexible hours
Kraft/Heinz
Willow Springs, IL
1 day ago
Sr. Director, Channel GTM Strategy (Oak Brook)
$159.5k - $278.68k
...Director, Channel GTM Strategy page is loaded## Sr. Director, Channel GTM Strategylocations: Oak Brook... ...* Coordinate inputs across regions, categories, and functions to produce a cohesive... ...sell-through objectives.* Use market insights and channel feedback to refine product...
Suggested
Full time
Temporary work
Worldwide
Chamberlain Group
Oak Brook, IL
2 days ago
Strategy Director
$125k - $135k
...the time to develop a deeper understanding of the clients' categories and key competitors Lead the development of research plans... ..., brands, and behaviors to provide our clients with the insights that elevate their understanding of the world. This could not be...
Suggested
Work experience placement
Flexible hours
Ipsos-Insight, LLC
Cicero, IL
1 day ago
Associate Market Clinical Director
$257.94k - $368.49k
...great people to join our team. The Associate Market Clinical Director will directly supervise, performance... ...cost reduction and market clinical strategies. Delivers outstanding clinical... ...feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and...
Suggested
Hourly pay
Full time
Work at office
Local area
ChenMed
Oak Lawn, IL
22 hours ago
Senior Director Category Space Management
$115.8k - $165.4k
...working in the office 3 days a week. You will lead high-impact analytics, space management, and category management teams across multiple client accounts—delivering data‑driven insights that improve performance, drive efficiency, and generate measurable value. Partner with...
Suggested
Work at office
3 days per week
Acosta
Oak Brook, IL
3 days ago
Associate Director
$168k - $312k
...sponsor visas for this position. The Associate Director, Autoinflammatory Diseases (AD-AID) is... ...Diseases (AD-AID) shares clinical insights, identifies opportunities to improve patient... ...Develop and execute tailored account strategies that drive patient access, strengthen...
Local area
Remote work
Visa sponsorship
Relocation package
Novartis Group Companies
Cicero, IL
1 day ago
Associate Brand Manager
$100k - $125k
...opportunity to work beyond a single category and gain experience across a... ...brands, uncovering consumer insights, and driving business growth... ...our Marketing team as an Associate Brand Manager (ABM) and help... ...and execution of marketing strategies that drive brand awareness,...
Blistex
Oak Brook, IL
4 days ago
HR Business Partner, Midwest
$75k
...market by connecting people strategy to real business outcomes. Success... ...operates, and using that insight to influence decisions around... ...it. This role reports to a Director of HR Business Partners who... ....00/Yr. ID 2026-21618 Category Human Resources Position...
Full time
Immediate start
Remote work
Shift work
Night shift
Crash Champions
Oak Lawn, IL
3 days ago
Associate Creative Director
$185k - $225k
Associate Director of Brand Strategy Cooley is seeking an Associate Director of Brand Strategy to join the Marketing and Client Development team.... ...key brand performance indicators, reporting actionable insights and strategic impact directly to executive leadership....
Full time
Temporary work
Immediate start
Flexible hours
Weekend work
Cooley
Cicero, IL
1 day ago
Director, Professional Services - Stout Strategy
$145k - $300k
...Make Stout is looking for Directors to support our Business &... ...the leadership team's account strategies. You will also be a key driver... ...'s standards for quality of insight and client impact Support... ...geographic differential associated with the location at which the...
Work at office
Local area
Flexible hours
Stout
Berwyn, IL
1 day ago
Business Program Manager
$72k - $99k
...our relentless pursuit of excellence, we elevate diverse voices, fresh perspectives and... ...role focuses on supporting established strategies and business plans through coordinated project... ...effectiveness, and provide clear insights and recommendations to stakeholders and...
For contractors
Delmarva Power & Light Co.
Oak Brook, IL
3 days ago
Associate Brand Manager
...Blistex is seeking an Associate Brand Manager to help shape our portfolio by turning consumer insights into growth strategies. You will support marketing plans, work with cross-functional teams, and manage brand initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and long-term equity...
Socket
Oak Brook, IL
2 days ago
Sales Operations Manager (Strategic Marketing)
$108k - $155k
...Requisition ID 2026-12946 Category Marketing and Proposal... ...initiatives, and executing enterprise strategies with a key focus on driving... .... You leverage business insights by understanding industry... ...for any agency fees associated with unsolicited resumes. Unsolicited...
For contractors
Local area
Gilbane Building Company
Cicero, IL
2 days ago
Planning Manager
$114.51k - $151.67k
...master data governance, while influencing purchasing, inventory strategy, and production planning to ensure alignment to the demand... ...will work closely with Purchasing, Strategic Sourcing, Market Insights, Production Planning, IT, and Operations leadership to drive system...
Temporary work
For contractors
Work at office
Local area
Worldwide
G & W Electric Company
La Grange, IL
21 hours ago
Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis
...environment. You will partner with the VP of FP&A and senior executives to build accurate multi-year models and provide actionable insights that support growth and financial discipline. In this role you will lead or support VBC contract performance analysis, scenario...
Contract work
CareAllies
Oak Brook, IL
4 hours ago
Programming Coordinator, Memory Care
...planning, coordinating, and implementing adult-centric, relevant, elevated, and purposeful activities and events. Assist in the... ...personalized interactions. Programing Coordinators assist the Director, Entertainment & Programming in providing medical transportation...
Daily paid
Full time
Part time
Local area
Spectrum Retirement
Burr Ridge, IL
1 day ago
Program Coordinator
...in the Lemont, Lockport, Bolingbrook, and surrounding areas. Company: Soccer Shots Southwest Chicagoland Reports to: Executive Director About Soccer Shots: Soccer Shots is a leading children's soccer program that teaches soccer skills while emphasizing character...
Part time
Work from home
Flexible hours
Afternoon shift
Weekday work
Soccer Shots - Southwest Suburban Chicagoland
Lemont, IL
1 day ago
Program Manager
...technical hands‑on experience. 3 years of supervisory experience leading and directing aircraft maintenance technicians on transport category aircraft. LEAN Continuous Improvement experience. Preferred Qualifications Experience in a Part 145 repair station or similar...
Afternoon shift
LAUNCH Technical Workforce Solutions
Oak Brook, IL
22 hours ago
Business Program Manager
$72k - $99k
...execution, and performance tracking. The role supports established strategies and business plans through coordinated project execution, data... ...strategies, assess campaign effectiveness, and provide insights and recommendations. Support management of external vendors to...
For contractors
Exelon
Oak Brook, IL
3 days ago
Executive Recruiter
$81.7k - $165.1k
...Minneapolis | US-TN-Nashville Category/Function Human... ...hiring needs and long-term talent strategy. The Executive Recruiter... ...with designated Talent Strategy Directors to align executive recruiting... ...leadership and market insight to inform hiring strategies and...
Full time
Local area
Immediate start
Old National Bank
Berwyn, IL
4 days ago
Associate Director, Nursing
...trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely. About This Role We are seeking an experienced Associate Director of Nursing to join our team. In partnership with the rest of the Oak Brook Leadership Team, you will play a key role in...
COMPASS HEALTH CENTER, LLC.
Oak Brook, IL
4 hours ago
Director OF Sourcing
$120.87k - $166.16k
...HR and Professional Services Sourcing Director Employment Type: Full-Time... ...will evaluate, analyze, and recommend category strategies, drive RFIs/RFPs, and negotiate supplier... ...will not be responsible for any fees associated with unsolicited submissions. We are...
Full time
Contract work
Work at office
Local area
Argonaut Management Services, Inc
Berwyn, IL
3 days ago
Associate Market Manager
$150k - $160k
POSITION SUMMARY The AssociateMarketManager plays a key role in the overall management of all aspects of the Market. Job functions include retaining employees, managing risk, driving revenue growth, increasing profitability, maintaining a superior and consistent level ...
Temporary work
Local area
Morgan Stanley
Oak Brook, IL
4 days ago
Director of Rehab - FT
...part of the Enhance Therapies family of companies, is hiring a Director of Rehab - FT to join our growing and passionate team. We... ...hospital settings. Our mission is to empower clinicians and elevate care through innovative programs, unmatched clinical support,...
Full time
H1b
Local area
Renewal Rehab
Oak Brook, IL
1 day ago
Technical Program Manager
$101.25k - $135k
...Manager who thrives at the intersection of engineering complexity and organizational clarity. You’ll work directly with engineering directors, platform leads, and cross‑functional stakeholders to drive programs that span multiple teams — ensuring alignment, surfacing...
SCIGON Solutions
Oak Brook, IL
3 days ago
Associate Operations Marketing Manager (On-Site)
$88.4k - $110.7k
...About This Role The Associate Operations Marketing Manager is responsible for leading communications, training, and ongoing operational... ...internally and externally. This role owns the communication strategy for all program incentives, including corporate communications...
Temporary work
Local area
Immediate start
Ace Hardware Corporation
Oak Brook, IL
9 hours ago
Director, Packaging (Oak Brook)
$165.1k - $247.7k
...Development PackagingJob Posting Title:Director, PackagingAbout Us:TreeHouse Foods is a... ...executive-level technical leadership to elevate packaging as a competitive advantage for... ...Influence senior leadership on packaging strategy and serve as the go-to expert for the organization...
Full time
Part time
Work at office
Immediate start
Shift work
TreeHouse Foods
Oak Brook, IL
1 day ago
Senior Government Programs Manager
$140k - $163k
...program initiatives and tasks, as a direct report to the Senior Director, Government Programs. As part of that team, the position will... ...programs early , developing and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure project success. Lead cross-functional teams drawing...
Full time
Contract work
Shift work
PsiQuantum
Berwyn, IL
1 day ago
RN Stroke Program Coordinator
$40.45 - $62.7 per hour
...quality patient care throughout the hospital. Assists the System Director with establishing the goals for the program to provide patient... ...Current CPR Certification issued by American Heart Association (AHA) required Preferred 3 years + of RN Neuro/Stroke related...
Hourly pay
Full time
Part time
For contractors
Work at office
Monday to Friday
Endeavor Health
Oak Brook, IL
2 days ago
Associate Client Success Manager
Medium is seeking motivated individuals to join a fast-growing, tech-driven team. You will conduct virtual consultations with clients and assess their needs, sharing knowledge on solutions and building lasting relationships through regular check-ins. Administrative ...
Weekly pay
Medium
Markham, IL
3 days ago

Do you want to receive more vacancies?

Subscribe and receive similar vacancies to Associate Director, Category Strategy & Insights Taste Elevation. Be the first to apply!