Category Manager
Byron Center, MI 
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Posted 14 days ago
Job Description

If you are currently employed at Smithfield, please log into Workday and submit your application through the Jobs Hub.

A great job-and a great future-awaits you at Smithfield Foods. We're an $18 billion U.S. food company with nearly 60,000 employees worldwide. We're looking for motivated people who want to join our team and grow lasting and meaningful careers with us. Join our family today. Apply Now!

Your Opportunity

Our team members receive industry-competitive salaries and are eligible for great benefits packages:

  • Competitive Pay: $78,500 - $116,600 annually

  • Annual Bonus Earning Potential

  • Comprehensive Health Insurance, Retirement Benefits and More

  • Education benefits available to full and part-time Smithfield team members on their first day of employment.

  • Open to moving? We will help! Ask about our Relocation Assistance packages!

In addition, we offer opportunities for career growth, professional development, and tuition assistance

As a Marketing Team member, you would assist in leveraging data metrics to develop methods to strategically maximize the profitability of a specific brand category in our business. In representing Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, or any of our brands, you will collaborate cross-functionally across the company from our sales team to our business management operations to deliver the best product to our customers and consumers.

The Category Manager is a valued resource to our retailers by facilitating growth in Fresh, Packaged, and Deli Meat Categories. This role will analyze consumer, category, customer, and market data in order to build sound business recommendations and is known for high-quality presentations. Focused on identifying and further developing mutually beneficial opportunities that support both Smithfield brand growth and retailer category growth by working closely with Smithfield's Sales and Marketing teams and our retailer partners. This will be done by having mastered our Retailers' data systems and the ability to marry various third-party data sources (IRI, Dunnhumby, Spectrum and Spectra for example) to uncover opportunities and insights and to leverage fact-based information to win in the marketplace. The Category Manager is able to develop both tactics and strategies instead of just following what has been established for them. This person is viewed as the Category Expert by our Senior Leaders and Retailers from conducting first-hand analysis of internal Retailer Sales and Consumer information to provide fact based winning assortment, shelving (which may include managing space planning projects), pricing and promotion recommendations and the subsequent score carding of business results. The Category Manager will be a day-to-day point of contact for our Senior Leaders at Smithfield and interface with the customer (Buyers to Senior Management) to represent our company, so it is imperative that this person have a very likeable communication style (even under the stresses of mounting projects and timelines) and actively promote teamwork competencies to represent Smithfield in the best possible light at all times.

Core Responsibilities

Syndicated Data Research, Analysis, and Reporting

  • Responsible for customization, reporting and analysis of category information for assigned customer(s).

  • Acts as an expert on utilizing and leveraging syndicated databases to include customer-specific data warehouse information and loyalty card analysis (e.g., IRI, Fresh Facts, Panel, Customer Specific, etc).

  • Researches/integrates data from various sources to identify market opportunities and creates insights.

Strategic and Tactical Execution

  • Recommends strategic/tactical elements of Category Business Plans to Sales Teams and Customers.

  • Develops customer-specific insights & recommendations by reviewing analytics, turns insights into action and drives winning sales recommendations on assortment, shelving and merchandising strategies.

  • Works with sales teams and supports sales presentation development.

  • Attends meetings with customers, makes presentations and acts is the category expert.

  • Leverages internal and external resources to grow Smithfield branded distribution, making category enhancing assortment and shelving recommendations in key categories.

Category Focused Sales Support

  • Develops or customizes Customer Sales Presentations, New Item Presentations (core & innovation), Category and Business Reviews with and in support of various team members.

  • Interfaces with customers in support of consumer & shopper insight application.

  • Leads discussions and/or presentations where a category management focus is required to position products or ideas as a solution for the customer and helps build category management competencies within sales.

Maintenance and Enhancements of Data, Systems, and Expertise

  • Leads the continual enhancement of analytical tools & syndicated data resources used by the organization.

  • Acts as a catalyst to help enhance the category management expertise of the organization.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Marketing, Business Administration or related field and 5+ years of relevant Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) experience in sales, marketing, category management or trade marketing; or equivalent combination of education and experience required. * MBA, preferred.

  • 2+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership is required.

  • 3+ years of experience with syndicated data (IRI, Nielsen, etc.), required

  • Demonstrated mastery of category management processes and quantifiable, success as a category captain, validator, etc. Knowledge of assortment tools and planogram software, preferred.

  • Must be highly proficient in MS Power Point and Excel, plus syndicated data tools & applications.

  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills required.

  • Ability to prioritize projects and produce high quality and quantity outputs that adds value to the company, required.

  • Strong quantitative and analytical skills, required.

  • Travel up to 10%.

  • Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment. * Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

Salary Range

EEO/AA Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

Salary Range

$85,500.00 - $128,625.00
Smithfield is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or any other protected group status or non-job related characteristic as directed by law.

 

Job Summary
Start Date
As soon as possible
Employment Term and Type
Regular, Full or Part Time
Required Education
Bachelor's Degree
Required Experience
5+ years
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