Overview
The Category Manager plays a leadership role in product development and category performance within the Grocery department. This role is responsible for driving product innovation, evaluating market trends, and ensuring alignment with Sprouts' quality standards. The Category Manager conducts in-depth analyses of sales data, consumer trends, pricing, and product quality to assess value and sales velocity. Key responsibilities include researching and launching new products or brands, negotiating vendor agreements, and managing the procurement lifecycle from selection and ordering to payment authorization ensuring that all activities support departmental objectives and contractual compliance.
Overview of Responsibilities
Embrace our purpose of helping people live and eat better and bring that to life in your categories.
Develop strategies to deliver sales and margin growth and win market share in your categories that support broader Grocery or Frozen department and overall 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.
Lead JBP vendor partnerships and expand our depth of collaboration with vendors and brokers across the business. Build win-win partnerships that enhance our reputation in the industry.
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
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Qualifications
Preferred bachelor’s degree in business or related field, with 3+ years of retail buying experience
Requires long-term strategic and financial planning skills
Excellent negotiation and relationship management abilities.
Strong project management skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities.
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
Please note that this position does require travel, a few times a year for trade shows, vendor on site meetings, or other business demands. This is a full-time role that requires 3-5 days a week to be in-person at the Sprouts Support Office in Phoenix, AZ.
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.
California Residents: We collect information in accordance with California law, please see here for more information.
