Category Insights Manager, Cheese & Bakery - Remote
Company
KeHE Distributors
Location
Naperville, IL
Other
Other
Why Work for KeHE?
- Full-time
- Pay Range: $80,000.00/Yr. - $95,000.00/Yr.
- Shift Days: , Shift Time:
- Benefits on Day 1
- Health/Rx
- Dental
- Vision
- Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
- Supplemental life insurance
- 401(k)
- Paid time off
- Paid sick time
- Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
- Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
- Holiday pay for company designated holidays
Overview
Good people, working with good people, for our common good.
Sound good?
KeHE-a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor-is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food and good service, we'd love to talk to you!
Primary Responsibilities
The Customer Insights & Growth Solutions Fresh Manager is responsible for being a subject matter expert in cheese and bakery market dynamics affecting the alternate channel. By leveraging analytics and marketplace knowledge, this role is responsible for helping KeHE customers increase sales and trade area relevance though assortment and merchandising. As with all positions at KeHE, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE's Mission, Vision and Values.
Essential Functions
- Identify bakery and cheese product trends specific to alternate channel retailers by analyzing: Category, attribute and marketplace trends; Consumer behavior shifts; Shopper purchase patterns.
- Curate consumer, demographic, syndicated, and internal data to create optimum, innovative, and actionable assortment and merchandising solutions.
- Develop PowerPoint presentations for alternate retailers showcasing category insights, hot trends, new and emerging items, and merchandising concepts.
- Translate data into actionable and innovative insights to create turn-key, influential solutions for KeHE's sales teams and retailer partners.
- Lead webinars, present findings and recommendations in a clear and compelling manner.
- Establish and maintain relationships with key alternate retailers based on trust, marketplace knowledge, and results.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Category Management and Sales Enablement teams.
- Develop ROI reporting by analyzing implementation rate at retail, product success rates, and sales growth in independent retailers.
- Support training and development of CI & GS team members.
- Maintain safeguards of confidential company information.
Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude- Knowledge in market dynamics, industry shifts, and retailer landscapes is mandatory.
- Ability to effectively manage a wide variety of projects simultaneously and often with time-conflicting pressures.
- Ability to multi-task in a very fast-paced business environment.
- Natural, specialty and/or fresh product knowledge with ability to recognize brands and trends.
- Project management, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
- Demonstrated thought leadership and creativity skills.
- Strong understanding of merchandising tactics and strategies.
- Demonstrated strength in oral and written communication skills.
- Willingness to take initiative on projects with minimal supervision.
- Proficiency with MS Office, primarily Excel and PowerPoint.
- Proficiency with SPINS, IRI, CSIA, ShopperSights, Mintel software.
- Experience with visualization tools, such as PowerBI, a plus.
- Experience with query writing and/or IBM Cognos Connection a plus.
- Demonstrated high level of proficiency in presentation skills.
- Ability to effectively manage a wide variety of retailer projects simultaneously and often with time conflicting pressures.
- Willingness to travel up to 20%.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- 4-year Bachelor's Degree in Business or related field of study.
- Minimum of three years prior experience in food industry analytics (retailer, supplier, distributor or data provider).
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
Requisition ID
2025-26644
Equal Employer Opportunity Statement
KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.