Associate Category Manager
Company: Disability Solutions
Location: Wyoming
Posted on: October 3, 2024
Job Description:
Welcome to Gordon Food Service! We are excited that you are
thinking about opportunities with us, and we have an amazing story
to share. See below for a quick glance of who we are and the impact
you could have on the food service industry. There's a seat at our
table for you...Gordon Food Service is hiring an Associate Category
Manager. This candidate works with national vendors to drive
operational excellence and manages, develops, and implements go-to
market activities to support division sales and marketing strategy.
Responsible for regional vendor management and product lifecycle
management of the region and division-specific vendors and product
portfolio ensuring optimal product mix focused on defined customer
needs, operational efficiency, and financial goals as well as
product discontinuation/deletions. Collaborates with key
stakeholders on the national category team, merchandising teams,
and vendors to execute strategies to achieve sales, margin, and
brand goals. Supports go-to-market product and vendor strategy
execution informed by Category Management plans, knowledge of
current trends, internal and external category data, and feedback
from engaged relationships with GFS regional merchandising and
division marketing teams.Responsibilities:Product
- Acts as primary category contact for internal shareholders and
external vendor community
- Acts as a key product specification resource, including product
certification and defining key attributes
- Works with the Quality Assurance Team and vendors on resolution
to product quality issues
- Responsible for supporting all segments of the business
Supplier Operational Excellence
- Supports Supply Chain with vendor escalation on mid- to
long-term vendor service level improvement and plans to ensure
product availability to meet customer needs
- Responsible for developing alternative supply solutions to
support customer needs
- Works with other departments (Education segment, Stores, etc )
to support Inventory Planning - I.e. back to school, seasonal
products, etc)
- Supports the creation of product content/attributes working
with vendors and marketing communications Supplier Execution
- Develops and manages strategic relationships with Tier 2
vendors through regular communications and Joint Business Planning
(JBP) reviews to optimize supplier value to Gordon Food Service
(Top 50-100 vendors)
- Leads the Joint Business Plan Support Go to Market strategy
execution
- Responsible for working with vendors on Food show participation
and activity planning
- Assists in escalation process with Vendor Receivables, Category
Support and Divisions on vendor dispute resolution
- Works with vendors on driving continuous improvement of VIP
Scorecard metrics Regional Merchandising and Financial Support
- Collaborates with the Regional Merchandising Team on sales
facing strategy execution
- Leads execution of financial/margin category management
improvement and optimization plans (i.e., conversions, bringing new
product innovation to market) Ideal candidate will have:
- Business Acumen - Proficiency of business and management
principles involved in strategic planning to inject creativity,
fresh thinking, new perspectives and to generate new and
imaginative ideas.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the
strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or
approaches to problems
- Marketing / Product - knowledge of principles and methods for
merchandising products and services. Knowledge of product and
marketing segments.
- Project Management Skills - able to understand, follow and
create processes in order to complete projects.
- Self Management - Must have good time management and
organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously
and to complete assigned work on time and on budget. Must be
results oriented and have excellent team skills.
- Customer Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for
providing customer services. This includes customer needs
assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation
of customer satisfaction.
- Data Analysis / Analytics Skills - Proficiency in analyzing
information; able to use analytics and associated tools (e.g.,
Excel, Access) in creative ways to tell the product story, garner
buy-in, provide insights and to support decision-making.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people
are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking
questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate
times.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and
reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and
implement solutions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the
strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or
approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs
and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate
one.
- Speaking and Writing - Requires effective verbal, written, and
presentation skills in order to support projects, convey findings,
share strategies and implement product marketing/merchandising
presentations, or to sell an idea in a variety of ways including
written correspondence, face-to-face, or group meetings.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others'
actions.Experience:
- Bachelors degree preferred Sales, Marketing, or other related
field preferred
- Three or more years previous experience in brand, product or
category management.
- Proven capability to perform the essential functions of the
job, as demonstrated by an equivalent combination of education,
training and/or relevant work experience may be considered in lieu
of the specified education and experience requirements.BE PART OF
AN AMAZING CULTURE WHERE WHAT MATTERS TO YOU, MATTERS TO US!Gordon
Food Service values our customers and understands that their
success is largely dependent upon their workforce. To demonstrate
our commitment to our partnership, we will require any candidate
who works for a Gordon Food Service customer to provide a letter of
support from their management if they are selected for the
interview process.Gordon Food Service is an equal opportunity
employer.All qualified applicants and employees will receive
consideration for employment, or in terms or conditions of
employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a
protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with
disability. The EEO is the Law poster is available here:
http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf.
If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the
application or hiring process due to a disability, please submit
your request to talent@gfs.com and use the words "Accommodation
Request" in your subject line. Please keep in mind this method is
reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a
disability.All Gordon Food Service locations are
tobacco-free.Gordon Food Service is a drug-free workplace and drug
tests all employees.
Keywords: Disability Solutions, East Lansing , Associate Category Manager, Executive , Wyoming, Michigan
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