Assistant Category Manager (Hybrid)

Category/Area of Expertise: Merchandising
Job Requisition: 394546_external_USA-NC-Salisbury
Address: USA-NC-Salisbury-2110 Executive Drive
Store Code: FL Produce Category COS (2762664)

At Food Lion, Associates are the most important assets to our organization. We want associates to have meaningful careers full of variety and challenges. Each associate contributes to the overall success of Food Lion, and in return, we strive to provide all associates with a fulfilling work experience and reward performance and commitment. We are committed to the professional development of our associates through on-the-job learning opportunities and training.

Position Summary

Responsible for intense negotiations and management of vendor relationships with minimal supervision from the Category Manager (CM). Will provide leadership coverage for the Category team when the CM is unavailable. Will lead the processes of shelf presentation, assortment decisions, cost negotiations, promotional planning as well as product and program development for assigned Categories. Will work collaboratively with Shelf Merchandising, Banner Merchandising, Pricing and Replenishment to implement the execution of a comprehensive, cohesive and well-integrated Category plan in support of each Banner's strategy and Integrated Business Plan. Also responsible for collaborating with Retail Operations, Marketing, Category Services, Our Brands and Supply Chain to ensure maximum organizational alignment and optimal portfolio performance according to established goals and strategic plans.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist the Category Manager with providing day to day direction for implementation and support of strategies and initiatives of Category, Merchandising & Pricing.
o Provide leadership coverage for the team when CM is unavailable
• Work collaboratively across departments to meet budgeted key performance metrics, which include, but are not limited to:
o Sales, Movement, Market Share, and Net Contribution metrics. These key performance metrics are meant to be comprehensive in nature, but are not limited to the list above due to changing nature of business priorities.
• Responsible for all aspects of analysis, for categories being analyzed, that will support achievement of Banner strategies. This will include, but not be limited to:
o Assisting the CM with negotiating the most advantageous programs with vendors and actively seeking out new opportunities to reduce costs while maintaining an optimal item mix.
o Assisting the CM with negotiating the lowest cost, including all elements that impact costs such as logistics, distribution, shrink, and reclaim - including swell allowances.
o This process will require close collaboration with Supply Chain (SC) and MGP business areas
• Ensuring appropriate assortment mix changes as each Category moves through review:
o Use assortment principles for each Banner as guidelines for ensuring each Banner has the right product on the shelf at the right time
o Understand what consumers value most from each Category and meet their needs in a profitable way
o Ensuring promotional plans are developed using identified lead items that will leverage margin while meeting the standards for the defined category role and strategy for each Banner.
o Validate compliance of best practice promotional planning, feature/display activity, and in-store shopper marketing investments to effectively grow market share for the Category while meeting margin targets are being used by Category Analysts.
o Assist in the creation of a comprehensive, cohesive Category strategy that will meet the needs of the consumers and achieve Category goals while supporting the Banner Integrated Business Plan.
• Validate compliance of the on-shelf Category assortment presentation and item mix. Ensure it reflects the unique needs of each Category while aligning with the Category role for each Banner. Components to be validated include, but are not limited to:
o Planograms and test sets
o Best practice shelf placement principles, planogram production and versioning
o Assisting the CM to manage vendor allowances to ensure targets are met.
o Leveraging Our Brand items to build consumer loyalty and profitability within the Category as well as Ahold Delhaize.
o FRESH ONLY:
o Managing commodity items that require product knowledge and insights, both domestic and foreign.
• Collaborate with the Fresh Foods Buyers, and RBS to deliver service and inventory level goals
• Assist with forecasting of ad items and seasonal projections
o Responsible for developing products and programs to meet consumer needs. Provide direction to Category Analysts to:
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training materials
• Partner with Indirect Sourcing on supply decisions
• Develop Sales, Margin, Shrink and Labor projections for each new program
• Maintain and update the order guide
o Providing off-shelf merchandising recommendations to Banner Merchandising teams in support of the Banner ad themes and strategies.
o Communicating Banner strategies openly and effectively to teams and vendor community.
o Serving as the market resource expert for assigned Categories
• Provide support for motivating peers and function as an effective promoter of change and growth.
• Provide support for the implementation of a continuous improvement culture
• Serve as a member of key teams and committees as needed
• Responsible for the development, talent planning and performance management of self.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• 5-8 years combined experience in retail, merchandising, category, pricing, logistics, supply chain, procurement, and distribution
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
• Knowledge of applicable practice areas, i.e., Fresh or Center Store categories.

• Fresh Categories include, but are not limited to: Produce, Meat/Seafood, HMS/Deli/Bakery
• Center Store Categories are considered any category not listed in Fresh above

• Mature level of knowledge for company, business and industry practices
• Basic knowledge of applicable practice areas, i.e., Fresh or Center Store categories.
• Fresh Categories include, but are not limited to: Produce, Meat/Seafood, HMS/Deli/Bakery
• Center Store Categories are considered any category not listed in Fresh above
• Basic financial planning and budgeting experience
• Cross-functional leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to build cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated relationship management experience with vendors, brokers and third party consultants
• Basic level of knowledge for company, business and industry practices
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite of Programs

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Working knowledge of relationship management with vendors, brokers and third party consultants
• Negotiation experience

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to manage day to day activity in support of identified business area and functional area strategies
• Ability to influence organizational alignment across multiple business areas
• Ability to take an educated risk with implementing programs that support consumer demands.
• Ability to negotiate
• Ability to think innovatively
• Demonstrate a personal acceptance of change and the ability to adapt and drive change
• Demonstrated ability to implement and analyze retail business using consumer insights and analyzing trends.
• Active listener with an ability to build trust across varying levels of the organization
• High degree of credibility and the ability to work with and through all levels of management
• Excellent organizational, planning, influence, communication and presentation skills
• Self-motivated and persuasive in presenting and selling ideas and executing their implementation
• Experience with the following computer programs: SEGA, DSS, LlamaSoft, WMS, PFT, Inforem, Tableau, Revionics, MSP

TRAVEL

• Typically 8 - 12%

Food Lion provides equal employment opportunities to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions) national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or gender expression or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you have a disability and require assistance in the application process, please contact our Recruiting Department at recruiting@foodlion.com

---