The Role
Leads Kroger category management and assortment strategy for Bimbo Bakeries USA. Identifies growth opportunities through shopper, market, competitive, POS, and panel data; optimizes assortments, shelf space, product placement, and category performance. Oversees space management projects, develops fact-based presentations, advises sales and senior leadership, manages stakeholder relationships, and supports team development. The role requires extensive CPG category management experience, analytical and presentation skills, people management, and up to 20% travel.
Summary Generated by Built In
Have you ever enjoyed Arnold®, Brownberry® or Oroweat® bread? A Thomas’® English muffin or bagel? Or perhaps snacked on a Sara Lee®, Entenmann’s® or Marinela® cake or donut? If the answer is yes, then you know Bimbo Bakeries USA!
More than 20,000 associates in bakeries, sales centers, offices and on sales routes work to ensure our consumers have the freshest products at every meal. In addition to competitive pay and benefits, we provide a safe and inclusive work environment that appreciates diversity, promotes development and allows our associates to be their authentic selves.
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Come join the largest baking company in the world and our family of 20,000 associates nationwide!
Top Reasons to Work at Bimbo Bakeries USA:
Salary Range: $116,200 - $162,700
Comprehensive Benefits Package
Annual Bonus Eligibility
401k & Company Match
Position Summary:
The Senior Manager of Category Management for Kroger Assortment is the subject matter expert on shelf/assortment management and analytics on our Kroger business. This job plays a critical role in BBU’s broader Customer Sales Team and will proactively influence how BBU Wins at the Shelf. The Senior Manager is grounded in and makes recommendations from insights that identify opportunities in the best interest of the category. This role is part of a dynamic and diverse cross functional team working to increase the utility of various category management tools through training, establishing processes, and sharing of best practices. Ultimately, this role exists to create short- and long-term value to Kroger and BBU.
Key Responsibilities:
- Proactively identify and lead category management initiatives that drive category growth while increasing BBU’s sales/share and profits. This should include interpreting shopper and category insights, optimizing product assortment, evaluating product placement, and proposing solutions to improve overall category performance.
- Category Management expert and advisor to leadership and the cCustomer Sales team. Influence decisions makers by reviewing and analyzing shelf space opportunities, as well as current business trends and category performance within the market and industry.
- Responsible for leading and delivering all space management projects and activities, including Kroger’s Kompass process and any internal space management initiatives.
- Proactively communicating and working with Customer Sales Team, Brands, Business Units, and RGM on assortment opportunities, including void closures, at risk items, innovation, and core assortment
- Build and maintain long-term relationships with Kroger assortment lead and PLM. Leverage insights and recommend action plans by developing persuasive fact-based sales presentations that leverage customer, industry, market, and competitive information
- Maintain frequent and fluid communication with internal and external stake holders regarding projects, insights, and/or opportunities, for self and for the team.
- Other duties as assigned.
Key Behavioral Competencies:
- Curious self starter with an ability to proactively identify needs and opportunities then establish a plan to meet those needs.
- Ability to effectively create and implement programs for area of responsibility.
- Collaborative and able to align with internal and external stakeholders.
- Curious and willing to investigate root causes of in market performance results.
Leadership Competencies:
- Use a combination of feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
- Take on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
- Understands the business and organizational environment and shows interest in adapting to their culture and ways of working.
Education and Work History:
Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing or Business related field. Advanced degree preferred.
Ideal candidate will possess:
- 10+ years of customer facing experience in the CPG industry and Category Management. Grocery and Mass channel experience is preferred.
- Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
- Proven experience converting data into logical, actionable strategies.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable presenting to Customers and Senior Executives.
- Highly motivated self-starter with strong project management skills, capable of multi-tasking in a matrix organization.
- Thorough understanding of POS and Panel data, and experience with retailer shopper card data sets.
- Experience managing people, including the creation of individualized development plans and defining accountabilities.
- Strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of products, i.e. Excel and PowerPoint, and of space management software, i.e. JDA or Apollo.
- Travel up to 20%
The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be requested to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Bimbo Bakeries USA is an equal opportunity employer with a policy that provides equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, any other classification protected by law.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Sales, Marketing, Business, or a related field
- 10+ years of customer-facing experience in the CPG industry and category management
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
- Experience converting data into logical, actionable strategies
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to present to customers and senior executives
- Strong project management skills and ability to multitask in a matrix organization
- Thorough understanding of POS and panel data
- Experience with retailer shopper card data sets
- Experience managing people, including individualized development plans and accountabilities
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, and space management software such as JDA or Apollo
- Advanced degree
- Grocery and mass channel experience
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The Company
What We Do
Grupo Bimbo is the world's largest baking company, founded in Mexico City in 1945. It manufactures, distributes, and sells fresh and frozen breads, buns, cookies, snack cakes, tortillas, salted snacks, and confectionery goods under more than 150 brands across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Its mission is to nourish a better world by providing nutritious, high-quality baked products to millions of households.
