Associate Category Manager - Grocery

This Associate Category Manager - Grocery position is with Sprouts Farmers Market in Phoenix, AZ. Overview The Associate Category Manager plans and directs assortment development, pricing and promotions, and vendor management for their categories with oversight from a Senior Category Manager and a Director of Merchandising. This position assesses the marketplace for new products and innovation and helps bring the best into Sprouts. This position partners with the Sprouts Brand team on new products, and product enhancements to drive sales while meeting Sprouts ingredient, quality, and profit expectations. The Associate Category Manager analyzes sales data, consumer trends, pricing, and product quality to assess value and designs a complete assortment to win share in their categories. Overview of Responsibilities • Embrace our purpose of helping people live and eat better and bring that to life in your categories. • Develop strategies to win market share in your categories that supports broader Grocery and Sprouts strategies. Includes ecommerce and stores. • Create assortments and pricing structures to maximize sales, margin and minimize spoilage • Develop and maintain budget, sales, gross margins, and profit goals for department • Drive the category review process with all CFT’s. Launch innovation faster than our competition. Find the optimal balance of building emerging brands and driving strong sales on existing favorites. • Build and create customers favorite items in partnership with the Sprouts Brand Team. Align projects with category and department initiatives and emerging industry trends. • Oversee all department marketing plans and ads, including monthly and weekly flyers, and partner with Shopper marketing and loyalty teams on vendor campaigns. • Respond to vendor, customer, and store level issues as needed on a timely basis • Develop and communicate easy to use weekly merchandising plans and directives for stores • Develop and maintain strong vendor and broker relationships • Support and act as a liaison between Sprouts stores and vendors to assure quality products and department standards are being delivered • Supply clear direction for new & existing stores on proper department layout, schematics, opening orders, programs & training • Coordinate and source vendor participation for new store openings and resets Qualifications • Preferred bachelor’s degree in business or a related field and 3-5 years of experience in category management, merchandising, buying, procurement, or related retail experience • Retail experience preferred from forecasting, buying, procurement, or negotiating functions • Requires long-term strategic and financial planning skills • Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and the Internet • Ability to preserve confidentiality of information, communicate with all levels of management and work within strict time frames and resolute deadlines • Complete understanding of P/L statements, general ledgers, and margins • Some travel required Benefits In addition to a rewarding career, Sprouts offers a comprehensive program to help support you and your family. These programs include: • Competitive pay • Sick time plan that you can use to support you or your immediate families health • Vacation accrual plan • Opportunities for career growth • 15% discount for you and one other family member in your household on all purchases made at Sprouts • Flexible schedules • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • 401(K) Retirement savings plan with a generous company match • Company paid life insurance • Contests and appreciation events throughout the year full of prizes, food and fun! Eligibility requirements may apply for the following benefits: • Bonus based on company and/or individual performance • Affordable benefit coverage, including medical, dental and vision • Health Savings Account with company match • Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care • Company paid short-term disability coverage • Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers • Paid holidays Get Paid Every Day! Sprouts Farmers Market offers DailyPay - if you’re hired as an eligible employee, you’ll be able to transfer the money you’ve already earned at no extra cost, and get it the next business day, for free.  We offer DailyPay so you don’t have to wait for payday to access the money you’ve already worked for. With DailyPay, you can see how much you’ve made every day and you can transfer your money any time before payday. You can learn more by visiting https://www.dailypay.com/partners/sprouts-farmers-market/. Why Sprouts Grow with us! If you have a passion for inspiring people and a flair for fresh food, consider applying for a job at Sprouts! With a focus on customer service, our neighborhood grocery stores offer high-quality, farm fresh produce, natural meats, plenty of scoop-your-own bulk goods and much more in a fun, friendly, old-fashioned farmer’s market setting.  Come grow your career in healthy living with a fast-paced, rapidly growing company and teams that pride themselves on empowering others along their journey. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Sprouts’ management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary. Sprouts will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance. 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