As a Category Manager for Bunzl, you will be responsible for developing the
short term and long term (2-4 year) comprehensive sourcing strategy. You will
have overall strategy management and decision authority for a category of
non-consumable products related to Grocery, Food Service, Janitorial and food
processor/production business segments. Some example categories are Towel &
Tissue, Paper & Plastic bags, Straws and To-go Containers.
In addition to product mix and vendor selection, you will drive comprehensive
pricing guidance, private label development, and sustainable product lines. As a
Category manager, you are also responsible for managing strategic supplier
relationships (Import & Domestic) and defining the appropriate sourcing strategy
for the entire category. An ideal candidate will have proven success in
developing and managing strategic relationships with domestic and import
manufacturers in order to maximize product profitability throughout its full
lifecycle.
This is a United States, remote role. An ideal candidate will sit near one of
our HUB locations and have convenient airport access. Example HUB locations are,
St. Louis MO, Chicago IL, Philadelphia PA, Atlanta GA, Pheonix AZ, Seattle WA,
Dallas TX, Kansas City MO or Los Angeles CA. Candidates can expect 25-35%
overnight travel, including at least one, 2 week (consecutive) international
trip per year.
Responsibilities:
Ownership of assigned product category performance and management of the
overall health of the portfolio.
Strategic engagement with supplier community to develop and implement
initiatives that enable profitable growth.
Monitor the health of assigned categories and manage the product lifecycle.
Develop category and market expertise that allows the organization to
effectively compete in target market segments; this includes market trends
and competitive analysis, as inputs to the development of our assortment
strategy.
Leverage market intelligence to validate and benchmark costs and competitive
pricing.
Monitor market needs and trends, competitive products, and the changing
production schedules of approved manufacturers to improve competitive
positioning.
Work to develop "Best Value" product opportunities that include best
performance, customer acceptance, and continuous improvement.
Develop product pricing policies and negotiate best cost vendor programs to
improve product positioning while improve margin.
Rationalize and consolidate product lines to improve inventory turns and
create volume cost improvement opportunities.
Manage on-going supplier relationships and execute supplier performance
management initiatives in accordance with standards and guidelines and in
collaboration with business partners.
Manage multiple projects and initiatives within assigned categories with the
ability to meet defined timelines and provide proactive status communication
to business partners
Establish category ownership with internal and external stakeholders.
Work with sales staff on special product requirements and costing. Work to
improve go-to-market strategy and speed of new product implementation.
Problem solving and recommending new and different packaging products as they
become available.
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree required.
Master’s degree preferred.
5+ years’ experience in Category Management or relevant business experience
is required.
Strong experience in developing and driving both short- and long-term
category plans.
Import procurement experience is strongly preferred.
Distribution experience strongly preferred.
Solid knowledge of marketing and sales principles.
Demonstrated highly developed experience in negotiation practices.
Strong ability to assess and manage contractual, operational, financial and
business risk.
Working knowledge of the raw materials used in food service, janitorial and
processor packaging is preferred with an existing working relationship with
packaging material manufacturers is preferred.
A strong ability to create a partnership atmosphere with internal and
external stakeholder to achieving key business objectives.
Exceptional EQ and influencing skills are required; Ability to work
collaboratively across multi-functional teams.
A strong relationship builder who is able to foster excellent relationships
and gain credibility quickly across all levels of the organization.
The ability to develop and drive strategy recommendations through the
organization, showing initiative across functions.
Proficient in Microsoft Office mandatory (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook,
etc.)
Ability to do 25-35% overnight travel, including at least one, 2 week
(consecutive) international trip and overnight trips to Corporate (St. Louis,
Mo) every few months.
What's in it for you?
The perks of being a Bunzl team member don’t stop at being part of a great team
or being valued as our #1 asset. We offer a full range of benefits to help our
employees take care of themselves and their families today, tomorrow and for the
future.
Bunzl salary range for this role is $100,000- $145,000 (+bonus) based on
education, experience and location.
Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance available to employees and
eligible dependents starting the first day of the month after 30 days of
employment (unless otherwise specified by a collective bargaining agreement).
401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match of $0.75 per $1.00
contributed, up to 6% of eligible pay, available after 30 days.
Paid time off, including (Pro-rated based on hire date):
10 vacation days and 2 personal days annually (prorated in the first year
based on hire date).
40 hours annual sick pay (56 hours sick pay per year for candidates hired
in Washington, in accordance with Washington State law).
6 paid national holidays and 2 floating holidays
Please refer to the Benefits & Perks section on our career webpage for more
details
Any leave required under federal, state, or local law, as applicable, such as
leave under the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act
Bunzl accepts ongoing applications
Notice to all Philadelphia, PA Applicants: There will be a criminal
background check conducted that will include an individualized assessment
based on your specific record, job duties, and job requirements
Click here to view the California Employee and Applicant Privacy Policy
[https://www.bunzlcareers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Bunzl-CA-Employee-Privacy-Policy-CPRA-Jan-2023.pdf]
Bunzl is a global leader in the Cleaning & Hygiene, Food Processing, Grocery,
Health Care, Non-Food Retail, and Safety industries. We have grown both
organically and through acquisitions to sales in excess of $10 billion. Bunzl
North America is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Bunzl North America owns
and operates more than 100 warehouses and serves all 50 states, Puerto Rico,
Canada and parts of the Caribbean and Mexico. With more than 5,000 employees and
400,000 plus supplies, Bunzl is regarded as a leading supplier in North America.
Bunzl Distribution has a tradition of commitment to equal employment
opportunity. It is the established policy to attract and retain the best
qualified people without regard to race, color, religion, national origin,
sex/gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran
status as provided by law.
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