Director, Category - Produce

About Fresh Direct

At Fresh Direct we are reinventing the grocery experience. Since day one, our mission has been simple: bring the best, freshest food directly from the farm to people’s homes — faster, fresher, and smarter than anyone else. We’re not just a food company; we’re a technology‑powered, customer‑obsessed team building one of the most innovative end‑to‑end food supply chains in the industry.

From proprietary routing systems to our state‑of‑the‑art fulfillment center, every part of our business is designed to deliver unmatched quality, convenience, and care. We partner directly with farmers, fishermen, and artisans to source the highest quality ingredients — then use smart data, automation, and logistics to deliver them at peak freshness. It’s grocery shopping reimagined — and we’re just getting started.

If you’re passionate about innovation, care deeply about what people eat, and want to help build the future of food, we’d love to meet you.

The Director, Produce Category Management is responsible for leading the strategy and performance of Fresh Direct’s Produce business, driving customer satisfaction, sales growth, profitability, and operational excellence. This role oversees assortment planning, pricing, sourcing, vendor partnerships, merchandising, and customer experience initiatives to ensure a best‑in‑class produce offering. As a key leader within the merchandising organization, the Director partners closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, Finance, Product, and Executive Leadership to deliver category growth and achieve business objectives.

• Develop and execute the Produce category strategy, driving sales growth, profitability, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence while aligning with company objectives and market opportunities.
• Own category performance, including assortment, pricing, promotions, merchandising, inventory productivity, shrink management, forecasting, replenishment, and key financial and operational metrics.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with growers, shippers, distributors, importers, and suppliers, leveraging industry expertise to identify sourcing opportunities, drive innovation, and ensure quality, supply continuity, and competitive advantage.
• Lead vendor negotiations, including pricing, contracts, rebates, service agreements, and strategic partnerships, while holding suppliers accountable for performance, food safety, service, quality, and cost.
• Analyze customer insights, market trends, seasonal opportunities, crop conditions, and competitive activity to identify growth opportunities, mitigate risks, and inform category decisions.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Marketing, Digital, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, and Product teams to deliver customer‑focused merchandising strategies, promotional initiatives, and operational improvements.
• Monitor and present category performance, business results, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and growth.
• Travel regularly to industry trade shows, grower operations, supplier facilities, and distribution partners to strengthen relationships, identify emerging trends, and uncover new business opportunities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Category Managers, Buyers, and Merchandising professionals, fostering a high‑performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and results.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and development plans while driving coaching, succession planning, and talent development initiatives.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Agriculture, Supply Chain, Food Science, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in Produce Category Management, Produce Buying, Merchandising, Sourcing, or a related fresh food leadership role.
• Extensive produce industry experience is required, including deep knowledge of fresh fruits and vegetables, seasonality, growing regions, supply chain dynamics, quality standards, and market trends.
• Demonstrated experience leading and…