Category Manager - Cigars

Job Summary

The Category Manager of Tobacco:
Cigar will be accountable for developing & leading the strategic direction and advancing all aspects of these OTP categories as part of a total Tobacco product assortment led by the Senior Category Manager. The Category Manager will also support Sr. CM with additional tasks/needs of the Cigarette/Tobacco business unit as needed.

• Track with key customer insights, manufacturer requirements & programs, and regulatory environment to drive both assortment and activity of assigned category efforts with intent to be primary destination.
• Develop, manage, and communicate sales plans and activities for assigned categories and drive testing, expansion and regionalization efforts.
• Follow overall merchandising strategy and end-to-end procedures to manage product assortment, retail pricing, cost management, and sales plan activation. Collaborate w/ Marketing & Digital to drive visibility/awareness.
• Negotiate and influence Manufacturer activity for assigned categories: cost, bill-backs, allowances, terms, co-op media spend, and other resources/opportunities.
• Collaborate with Logistics, Wholesalers, Manufacturers, and Senior Category Manager, to ensure stable supply of product assortment to stores.

• Own, influence, and manage manufacturer relationship for assigned categories as the primary National contact. Educate, and influence based on company & category strategy.
• Conduct vendor meetings. Understand program changes and vendor strategies to execute, and negotiate and influence assortment, pricing and promo programs, and funding.
• Track key metrics (KPIs), inclusive of syndicated sales and share information to verify, adjust, and iterate plans as effective.
• Support Sr. Product Director and Sr. Category Manager as tasked/needed to stakeholder and vendor manage.

• Educate, support, and troubleshoot in support of Operations based on assortment, programs, and activations that are store facing in assigned categories. Communicate regularly w/ Operations and Field Merchandising based on CSA/marketplace understanding and opportunities.
• Develop and oversee in-store testing of potential new products, concepts and promotional activity within assigned categories. Optimize display and space management opportunities as categories continue to grow/evolve in collaboration w/ Tobacco peer group.

Education:

Bachelors/4 Yr Degree

Years of Relevant

Work Experience:

4+ years

Years of Management

Experience:

NA

Certifications / Licenses: NA

• Effective communication skill, both written and verbal. Position requires high degree of collaboration.
• Strong analytical skill/acumen. Role requires a high degree of excel reporting usage and interaction.
• Competency with both standard and custom Business Intelligence systems, such as Power BI, Circana.
• Negotiation experience or accreditation preferred, as well as familiarity with Sales Cycles.
• Position requires high school diploma plus 3 to 4 years' experience with heavy PC usage.
• Previous Category Management / College education is also strongly preferred.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the individuals assigned to this job. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change the duties and responsibilities of this job to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

* Position not eligible for sponsorship*

If an hourly or salary range is included in this ad it represents the range 7‑Eleven in good faith believes is the range of compensation for this role at the time of this posting. The Company may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in this state. This range may be modified in the future.

No amount is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable under the terms and conditions of the applicable policies and plans. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, long‑term incentive compensation, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company’s sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

For a general description of all benefits 7‑Eleven is offering in the US for the position, please visit this link.