Category Manager, Cigarettes

Summary

Manage the strategic development and planning for assigned category, as a subset of a larger group of categories led by the Senior Category Manager. Ensure category sales plans are consistent with the overall Merchandising strategy. Promote and verify execution of category strategy at the store, and ensure that the category fits into the total store perspective.

• Sales & Planning:
  Develop, manage and communicate sales plans for delegated categories and support additional categories as requested to support the Senior Category Manager in the development of overall category sales plans.
• Sales planning tool:
  Complete entry for national sales planning tool, including de-averaged costs/retail, and new/expanded items/offers.
• Marketing and POP:
  Ensure marketing and POP are developed for all categories as determined by the Senior Category Manager for the monthly sales plan; proof monthly solicitation for accuracy and make recommendations as necessary to support development of regional POP item forecasts.
• Vendor meetings and negotiations:
  Facilitate vendor meetings and negotiate for delegated categories; support the Product Director and Senior Category Manager on day-to-day activities that include the Strategic Pricing team and support for the Senior Category Manager in the preparation for and engagement in vendor meetings related to product assortment architecture and cost of goods negotiations.
• Merchandising initiatives:
  Develop and execute strategic merchandising initiatives such as roles and intents of categories, segmentation and vendor and product-specific strategies.

• Vendor relationships:
  Own and manage vendor relationships for assigned small categories as a primary contact and assist the Senior Category Manager in vendor relationships for key national relationships. Collaborate with Logistics to ensure stable supply within the demand chain, including close collaboration with the Logistics team/partners. Ensure products are delivering on quality/value needs of customers.
• Offers and terms:
  Negotiate delegated category offers, costs, bill-backs, allowances, terms, co-op media and other related opportunities; coordinate/communicate with the Senior Category Manager.
• Supplier information:
  Ensure proper information provided for suppliers including product costs, bill-back, allowances, discounts, LDUs, routing information, new item setup details and new vendor setup details.
• Forecasting information:
  Provide forecasting information including initial committed inventories, historic sales, store turns, seasonality, past order frequency and cannibalization for all delegated categories and provide support for categories at the request of the Senior Category Manager in conjunction with the Merchandiser and Category Specialist.

• National schematics:
  Lead national schematics efforts on behalf of the Senior Category Manager. Coordinate with the Merchandiser to ensure regional sets are developed and in line with the national strategy. Review strategy and decisions with the Senior Category Manager before implementation.
• Sales metrics:
  Track all key sales metrics (sales/group/unit/margin) for delegated categories and additional categories as requested. Analyze and share insights with the Senior Category Manager, Product Director, Zone Leader and other Operations leadership to drive improved results and enhance understanding of the business.
• Assortment testing:
  Evaluate SSI and NRIs for further testing or expansion to ensure the optimal recommended assortment.
• Profit optimization:
  Accountable for optimizing Gross Profit dollars within the delegated category role and overall category growth. Conduct ongoing financial analysis of national sets by evaluating product SKU productivity.
• In-store testing and promotions:
  Develop and oversee in-store testing of potential new products, concepts and promotional activity within delegated categories and assist for other categories as requested. Optimize display management opportunities within assigned category and assigned zones.
• Testing coordination:
  Support testing activity including preparation/delivering communication materials, tracking of results/feedback to Test areas/stores, verification in stores/Franchise feedback.
• Assortment decisions:
  Assist with integration of roles and intents and segmentation into assortment decisions at the national and regional level. Work with vendors to introduce/expand new/existing items based on store and customer segments while retracting items in underperforming segments to optimize overall assortment.
• Vendor sponsor ships:
  Coordinate SEE vendor sponsor ships, samplings, and other events on a national and regional level for supported categories.
• Outputs troubleshooting:
  Rework and troubleshoot outputs (decisions on proposed items, item setup, etc.) and handle requests from accounting.

• Provide…