Category Leadership Manager

Job Description

Job Purpose
 

The Category Leadership Manager- Club is responsible for accelerating profitable growth for Kraft Heinz by setting and executing a clear category strategy grounded in customer insights, market dynamics, and financial rigor. This role partners cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Product, Finance, and Analytics to identify and unlock growth opportunities, align stakeholders to a shared plan, and drive disciplined execution. As a category leader, the role influences without authority, elevates category thinking across the organization, and influences stakeholders toward best-in-class category management, including assortment, pricing, promotion, and channel strategy. 
 

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Growth Planning

• Establishes trust and rapport with key customers SVPs/VPs to ensure we are their indispensable partner of choice for all their total store needs; meets on a consistent basis to discuss ideating, scoping and partnering on strategic projects
• Creates and implements breakthrough customer strategies to accelerate market share gains and profitable growth for our customers and KHC, anchored in shopper insights
• Identifies and proactively shares whitespace opportunities for category growth
• Leads major customer engagements including customer strategy alignment, and is a thought partner who secures new customer engagements that build resilient categories for the future
• Accomplishes business objectives through understanding of customer goals, strategies, capabilities, organizational structure, and the channels in which they operate
• Serves as a thought leader and strategic advisor to the Sales Org.
• Elevates impact of Category Leadership with Area Leadership Team, and Cross Functional Partners including but not limited to, Business Unit, Customer Business Development and Insights Team
• Translate strategy into an integrated category plan (assortment, pricing, promo, placement, innovation, and channels) with clear milestones and owners.
• Identify whitespace opportunities using internal performance data and external market signals (e.g., competitive moves, shopper behavior shifts, macro trends).

Customer, Shopper, and Market Insights

• Lead insight generation from syndicated data, customer POS, loyalty, digital analytics, and primary research.

• Develop and socialize a clear shopper/customer narrative: who is buying, why, how missions are evolving, and what triggers switching.

• Convert insights into actionable recommendations for portfolio roles, pack-price architecture, shelving/navigation, and messaging.

• Maintain competitive intelligence and “test-and-learn” insights to continuously refine the category plan.

Collaboration

• Plays leadership role with Customer Development Organization to drive best practice sharing and serves as a culture cultivator
• Serves as a strategic advisor to the Customer Business Teams on category, brand, and customer market performance to maximize category growth opportunities
• Operates as a thought leadership partner to identify opportunities and risks, and can build offensive and defensive plans

Data & Technology Capabilities

• Maximize usage of current data capabilities to create a competitive advantage for category growth, rooted in deep shopper insights
• Lean into learner for life mentality to ensure Category Leadership LT is informed on the upcoming/latest new technologies that can advance KHC and our categories
• Technical expertise with large data management

Expected Experience & Required Skills

• Demonstrated thought leadership
• Experience in CPG industry and experience preferred in Category Leadership/Management
• Experience in big data/shopper card data systems & harness into compelling stories
• Proven ability to created and implemented business strategy
• Experience crafting compelling shopper-centric, category focused stories that win with retailers
• Mastery of financial and business acumen to develop strategy and solutions, which produce desired business results

Work Environment & Schedule

This position is considered a remote role with in-office flexibility (3 days in-office, 2 days work from home if desired).

Physical Requirements

Travel up to 10% of time. 

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range:

$104,200.00 - $130,200.00

Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors

Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.

You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:

• Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments

• Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training

• Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs

• Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s)

Rogers Sales

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact NAZTAOps@kraftheinz.com for assistance.