Category Manager

DFS is looking for a Category Manager
. This leadership position is responsible for the product assortment, vendor base, and margin management within the Equipment & Supplies (E&S) category for DFS’ core brands, and for building and leading the team that supports it. A major area of focus is growing the direct-sourced portion of the category, including qualified overseas sourcing where it improves cost position, quality, or service.

The Category Manager is the primary point of contact with the domestic (and, as applicable, international) vendor community and works with each brand’s Sales organization to identify sourcing priorities for the enterprise team.

The Category Manager leads negotiation of, and is accountable for, supplier agreements — domestic and international — with involvement from the Director of Merchandising and other senior leaders as appropriate. The role manages to budget gross margin targets by negotiating cost and partnering with the Pricing team on sell prices. As the product expert for E&S, the Category Manager also organizes the assortment into a customer-facing hierarchy on the web, ensures accuracy and availability of product data in the PIM, and creates a seamless customer experience across all channels (web, phone, EDI, counter, etc.).

The role also directly manages and develops a small team of Category Analysts/Specialists and is expected to bring hands-on food service equipment & supplies industry knowledge to every part of the job.

• Curates the E&S product assortment, vendor base, and product information to eliminate duplication and drive appropriate customer experience across all brands.
• Develops and executes strategic business plans for the E&S category across the core brands.
• Tasked with growing sales while improving profitability — establishes category goals for sales volume, gross profit, and vendor service levels, and works with the Purchasing and Pricing departments to execute those goals.
• Establishes product assortment to meet customer demand and identifies new business opportunities through new product development and improved cost positions for OEM products.
• Works with the Sourcing Manager to identify opportunities to build private label within the E&S category; private label programs may also be developed with current domestic vendors.
• Partners with the Sourcing team on domestic-to-import conversions, identifying required quality, key specifications, and cost profile, and provides final sample approval.
• Determines initial stocking strategy and regularly performs SKU rationalization to recommend inventory disposition strategies.
• Conducts annual vendor performance reviews and ongoing category and vendor assortment reviews — evaluating sales, gross margin performance, competitiveness, and service levels — and identifies opportunities to keep the assortment and cost position competitive within the industry.
• Partners with Senior Leadership, Sales, Marketing, e-Business, and Operations on action plans for products or categories not meeting goals.
• Develops and/or coordinates supplier product training for Customer Care and Sales.
• Provides Level 3 (most complex) support for Customer Care, Sales, and customers on product identification and technical issues.
• Partners with Marketing and e-Business on the promotional calendar, collateral execution, and online merchandising.
• Acts as an expert source on RFPs, RFQs, and national bids — partnering with Sales on large quotes to identify the best product, pricing, delivery, and supplier options for major accounts.
• Serves as key subject-matter expert and industry liaison on food service equipment & supplies market, customer, and product trends.
• Selects, develops, and maintains strong…