Category Manager

The Category Manager directly supports these pillars by serving as the dedicated category advisor to one of Canada’s largest grocery retailers. By leveraging data-driven insights, the role enables both customer growth and internal execution. This position is critical for accelerating core business growth and unlocking new opportunities through best-in-class category leadership, actionable recommendations, and strong retailer partnerships—even when engagement may be inconsistent or evolving.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Outcomes

Drive Profitable Sales Growth:
Provide unbiased recommendations based on robust data analysis to achieve sales, volume, market share, and distribution targets.

Insight-Led Commercial Impact:
Identify whitespace opportunities and risks; develop actionable strategies that enhance both customer and company financial performance.

Customer Service

Category Advisory Leadership:
Serve as the official category advisor for the assigned retail customer, conducting annual and ongoing category reviews with clear recommendations on assortment, pricing, promotions, merchandising, and shelf strategies.

Relationship Management:
Build credibility as a trusted advisor through compelling presentations and selling stories tailored to the retailer’s needs, even when their formal engagement is limited.

Internal Processes

Category Advisory Leadership:
Serve as the official category advisor for your assigned retail customer, conducting annual and ongoing category reviews with clear recommendations on assortment, pricing, promotions, merchandising, and shelf strategies.

Relationship Management:
Build credibility as a trusted advisor through compelling presentations and selling stories tailored to the retailer’s needs—even when their formal engagement is limited.

Innovation and Learning

Analytical Leadership for Growth Initiatives:
Support new product launches, promotions, and process improvements by providing analytical leadership both externally (to customers) and internally.

Proactive Value Creation:
Proactively pursue opportunities beyond traditional ‘advisor’ boundaries to make a tangible impact regardless of formal requests from the customer; champion continuous improvement in category management practices.

Key Qualifications

Minimum 5 years’ experience in category management or retail advisory roles within CPG; experience with major Canadian grocery retailers (LCL preferred).

Advanced proficiency with Nielsen/Circana, retailer POS systems, Excel, Power Query, and PowerPoint; familiarity with planogram tools is an asset.

Expertise in leveraging competitive and industry intelligence for strategic advantage.

Demonstrated understanding of trade promotion strategies and financial drivers within dynamic CPG categories.

Demonstrated ability to turn data-driven insights into actionable business recommendations.

Strong business acumen with attention to detail; commercially astute in driving profitability and growth.

Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills; adept at synthesizing complex data into clear, compelling stories for internal and external stakeholders.

Proven ability to build relationships and influence both customers and internal cross-functional teams—even when formal engagement varies, or authority is indirect.

Effective communicator with strong presentation skills.

Demonstrated ability to work independently and thrive in environments where ambiguity or shifting priorities are present.

Proactive, results-driven, and entrepreneurial; brings high energy and enthusiasm to the role.

Thrives in fast-paced, high-growth environments where innovation, execution speed, and quality are critical.

Exceptional organizational skills; able to manage multiple priorities and aggressive deadlines.

The salary range for this role is $85,k. All applications are reviewed by real people — we do not use AI or automated screening tools in our recruitment process.