DeliBakery Category Manager

The Deli-Bakery Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive category strategy that meets customer needs delivers financial and operational goals and supports the companys integrated business plans.

This role leads the day-to-day management of the Deli and Bakery business with a strong customer-focused and selling-oriented approach across Category Management Merchandising Pricing Procurement Replenishment and Operations. The Category Manager serves as the subject-matter expert for Deli-Bakery providing leadership on consumer trends product innovation assortment food preparation freshness and category growth.

• Manage overall performance for assigned Deli-Bakery categories including sales margin shrink inventory service levels and customer metrics.

• Develop and execute customer-focused category plans that drive growth and support a strong selling culture.

• Manage category financial performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability freshness quality and customer satisfaction.

• Oversee procurement replenishment forecasting seasonal planning and days-on-hand for short-shelf-life products.

• Maintain strong in-stock conditions while balancing freshness production needs waste and shrink.

• Develop pricing recommendations and influence pricing strategy for Deli-Bakery products.

• Manage product assortment and selection including final approval of planogram and merchandising decisions.

• Identify and lead product innovation based on consumer insights food trends seasonal opportunities and changing customer preferences.

• Build and maintain productive relationships with vendors suppliers commissaries and cross-functional partners.

• Lead vendor negotiations related to cost assortment quality service innovation and performance.

• Serve as the subject-matter expert for Deli-Bakery products preparation methods food safety freshness and operational execution.

• Partner closely with Merchandising Pricing Supply Chain Logistics Store Operations Quality Assurance and Marketing.

• Lead talent planning team development coaching and performance management.

• Build and maintain a high-performing collaborative team.

• Ensure category strategies align with brand priorities customer expectations and operational capabilities.

• Strong knowledge of Deli-Bakery category management merchandising pricing procurement replenishment and inventory management.

• Ability to manage day-to-day category activities while supporting long-term business strategies.

• Strong understanding of short-shelf-life products production planning freshness standards shrink management and food safety.

• Ability to analyze consumer insights market trends financial performance and operational data.

• Strong negotiation and vendor-management skills.

• Ability to influence decisions and gain alignment across multiple business areas and levels of leadership.

• Ability to take calculated risks when implementing programs that respond to changing customer demands.

• Innovative and strategic thinker with the ability to identify new product assortment and merchandising opportunities.

• Demonstrated ability to lead through organizational and operational change.

• Strong communication presentation planning and influencing skills.

• Active listener with the ability to build trust and credibility across the organization.

• Self-motivated and persuasive with the ability to present and execute new ideas.

• Ability to balance customer demand product quality food safety financial performance and store execution.

• Bachelors degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.

• Five to eight years of category management experience preferably within Deli Bakery Fresh Foods Prepared Foods or Foodservice.

• Minimum of eight years of combined experience in retail merchandising pricing logistics supply chain procurement foodservice or distribution.

• Demonstrated experience leading teams through organizational or operational change.

• Proven track record of coaching developing and managing the performance of others.

• Knowledge of retail merchandising replenishment production planning item-management and forecasting systems.

• Strong understanding of logistics and supply-chain operations for fresh and short-shelf-life products.

• Knowledge of commissary operations prepared-food production and bakery processes.

• Expertise in food preparation practices sanitation freshness standards and food-safety requirements.

• Knowledge of federal state and local regulations affecting Deli-Bakery operations including FDA USDA labeling and weights-and-measures requirements.