Category Insights and Analytics Manager

Category Insights and Analytics Manager

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

A Category Insights and Analytics Manager leads a Category Insights team of Category Insights Sr Analysts and Category Insights Analysts supporting 40-120 clients in an assigned region. As a Manager, you will coach and direct the team, and partner with sales in executing ADV client DSMP objectives. Leveraging various data sets (i.e. Shopper Sights, Circana, NIQ, Numerator, Retailer, etc.), combined with an understanding of client and retailer priorities, the Manager will develop compelling, data-driven selling stories to inform future go-to-market (GTM) strategies and support DSMP execution.

The Manager should have deep client/consumer knowledge, an understanding of advanced analytics tools, external market knowledge, and ability to combine insights that drive sustainable business growth and stronger outcomes. You are smart, creative, organized, curious, and confident in presenting ideas and solutions to internal sales associates, clients, and customers. 

Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Insights: Drive insights to action through deep analytics of the category, macro-trends, competitive landscape, pricing, promotion, assortment, space management, and shopper trends. Develop and integrate consumer, shopper and retailer insights to better inform targeted strategies, plans and decisions.
• Client/Customer Engagement: Collaborate with customers and clients to understand their strategies and objectives in order to create a mutually beneficial solution for all parties involved.
• Business Reviews & Market Assessments: Integrate data from a variety of sources to develop impactful customer-specific selling stories in support of key category business building initiatives to achieve ADV client selling opportunities.
• Project Management: Prioritize and manage project schedule by monitoring project progress, coordinating activities, and resolving problems
• Associate Development: Provide coaching, training, and direction to associates to achieve professional objectives

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, analytics, or related field required

Experience: 3–5+ years in category management, shopper insights, strategy, or analytics; 1–2+ years of people management experience

Travel and/or Driving Requirements - Travel and Driving are not essential duties or functions of this job

Supervisor Responsibility

Direct Reports- Hires, retains, trains, coaches, guides, directs, and develops direct reports using company-wide processes, tools and resources Indirect Reports- May delegate work of others and provide guidance, direction and mentoring to indirect reports

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Strong data interpretation and storytelling skills with ability to transform complex data into clear, compelling narratives
• Expert use of syndicated data tools (e.g., NIQ, Circana), shopper data platforms, and Excel (pivot tables, v-lookups)
• Familiarity with category leadership principles including pricing, assortment, shelving, and promotion strategies
• Skilled communicator with the ability to influence decisions across internal and external stakeholders
• Proven track record in project management, client collaboration, and business problem-solving

Environmental & Physical RequirementsOffice / Sedentary Requirements: Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically, requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may require the ability to lift up to 10lbs.

Additional Information Regarding Job Duties and Job DescriptionsJob duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job positions, or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Insights: Drive insights to action through deep analytics of the category, macro-trends, competitive landscape, pricing, promotion, assortment, space management, and shopper trends. Develop and integrate consumer, shopper and retailer insights to better inform targeted strategies, plans and decisions.
• Client/Customer Engagement: Collaborate with customers and clients to understand their strategies and objectives in order to create a mutually beneficial solution for all parties involved.
• Business Reviews & Market Assessments: Integrate data from a variety of sources to develop impactful customer-specific selling stories in support of key category business building initiatives to achieve ADV client selling opportunities.
• Project Management: Prioritize and manage project schedule by monitoring project progress, coordinating activities, and resolving problems
• Associate Development: Provide coaching, training, and direction to associates to achieve professional objectives

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, analytics, or related field required

Experience: 3–5+ years in category management, shopper insights, strategy, or analytics; 1–2+ years of people management experience

Travel and/or Driving Requirements - Travel and Driving are not essential duties or functions of this job

Supervisor Responsibility

Direct Reports- Hires, retains, trains, coaches, guides, directs, and develops direct reports using company-wide processes, tools and resources Indirect Reports- May delegate work of others and provide guidance, direction and mentoring to indirect reports

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Strong data interpretation and storytelling skills with ability to transform complex data into clear, compelling narratives
• Expert use of syndicated data tools (e.g., NIQ, Circana), shopper data platforms, and Excel (pivot tables, v-lookups)
• Familiarity with category leadership principles including pricing, assortment, shelving, and promotion strategies
• Skilled communicator with the ability to influence decisions across internal and external stakeholders
• Proven track record in project management, client collaboration, and business problem-solving

Environmental & Physical RequirementsOffice / Sedentary Requirements: Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically, requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may require the ability to lift up to 10lbs.

Additional Information Regarding Job Duties and Job DescriptionsJob duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job positions, or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by law.