Responsibilities

• Partner with corporate and region personnel on the development of customized merchandising, marketing and category strategies for the assigned Area
• Leadership of merchandising field support within the Area Hub based in the DCs and partnership with Area Replenishment leadership. This includes coordination and consistent execution of merchandising initiatives across multiple sites.
• Provide leadership and oversight with the implementation of day-to-day initiatives within the Area, including product assortment changes, marketing events, pricing changes, etc., aimed at driving Area sales performance and GP3 (purchase allowances + selling margin, less deviations).
• Closely monitor Area performance as it pertains to category initiatives, segmentation, sales performance, as well as localized and national market trends. Adjust strategy accordingly based on analysis, driving success and ensuring alignment with core US Foods strategies and local Area needs and strategies. Coordinate with Sr Dir Performance Optimization to oversee deployment of plays to, and turnaround of, poor performing markets. Share best practices from better performing markets to facilitate improvement
• Monitor and direct department’s activities to ensure attainment of Area profit and loss (P&L) goals, including oversight on purchase allowances and cash discounts. Maximize profitable sales growth through assortment, pricing and marketing activities.
• Manage GTM strategies to drive sales, profit, and net new account growth.
• Manage prioritization of Area category initiatives, coordinating resources for execution and leading the overall Area-wide implementation.
• Manage relationships with Area-specific vendors and coordinate funding with region and local suppliers.
• Monitor and review Area product assortment across categories, with the aim of reducing duplicate and underperforming SKUs. Review and approve new-to-Area SKUs, as well as exception SKU's and provide feedback to region/RSC on SKU performance and opportunities. Ensure alignment with overall category strategy and drive EB penetration across Area customer base.
• Manage (Area Pricing Manager ) and oversee deviation process; margin management , negotiate and/or assist with negotiation of vendor-funded deviations.
• Work closely with Sales to plan and facilitate local promotions, customer events and general marketing activities, including managing Area marketing communications and branding activities (aligned with national category strategy). Plan and review Area marketing budget and allocate funds across Area.
• Assist in the development, execution, and ongoing maintenance of the Area training schedule.
• Serve as key point of contact for new customer on-boarding, one-off-bids for existing customers, as well as coordinating requests through Area’s Save-Our-Sales (SOS) program.
• Coordinate new customer on-boarding and exit processes.
• Manage and coordinate sales-based activities and direction of sales’ solutions and other Area-specific Specialists, such as Chemical and Beverages, Culinary Equipment and Supplies, etc.
• Manage and direct the sales support team.

Requirements

• Four-year college degree in business or related field, or equivalent related field experience required.
• Management experience and a minimum of 10 years of category management, marketing and/or purchasing experience required, preferably from foodservice or food manufacturing industries.
• Ideal candidate has experience that includes collaboration in a functional matrixed environment and virtual leadership across multiple sites.
• Overnight travel may be required to participate in training, meetings, or other company events.
• Must possess the ability to operate successfully within a matrix organization, working effectively with multiple groups.
• Excellent management skills, negotiation skills, verbal and written communication skills, as well as solid quantitative and analytical skills required.
• Demonstrated history of utilizing skills of influence, persuasion, and effective negotiation to further goals required, as is the ability to work in a team setting, drive organizational transformations, and support change management within the organization.
• Must effectively provide fact-based recommendations across a variety of management levels resulting in buy-in and improvement in category performance.
• Must be self-directed and highly motivated, possessing a strong business acumen, sound interpersonal skills and excellent presentation skills, with the ability to efficiently communicate to multiple levels in the organization.
• Intermediate proficiency required in the use of Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Prior experience with Microsoft Access a plus.
• Proven leadership and experience managing direct reports required.

Benefits

• Benefits for this role may include health insurance, pre-tax spending accounts, retirement benefits, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability, employee stock purchase plan, and life insurance.