Senior Manager, Category Capabilities

Job Location: ​Parsippany​

Company description

Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000  dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.

About the Role:

With new innovations and exciting expansions plans in place, there has never been a better time to join the Ferrero Group and be extraordinary with us!

The Category Capability Sr. Manager will be responsible for developing the category management center of excellence to drive technical capabilities and standard processes for the category management team.  In this position you will also be responsible for developing the shelving and assortment strategy across all categories Ferrero participates in.  You will be instrumental in driving key selling initiatives and measure execution of space and assortment initiatives.

The position will be hybrid, based in our US headquarters in Parsippany, NJ and report to the VP of Category Management.

Main Responsibilities:

•    Develop and maintain the shelving and assortment strategy across all categories Ferrero participates in.
•    Demonstrate & leverage a strong understanding of space planning software/resources, such as JDA, VR Infinity, and Assortment tool to provide planogram recommendations and analyses across channels.
•    Develop and maintain the planogram database and reporting to support internal and field sales. 
•    Own the standardized space and assortment planning process for consulting with key customers
•    Own our planogram compliance process, integrating HQ and Field personnel into the space planning effort.  
•    Coordinate big data integration with category management data sources
•    Develop and maintain “Category to Customer” tools to enable the field category management team to customize national category growth strategies for their accounts
•    Coordinate category management technology needs with the commercial IT function
•    Maintain the category management training curriculum
•    Present executive presence and an ability to work & deliver materials across multiple levels within the organization, including the Chief Customer Officer.  
•    Meet with customers and act as Subject Matter Expert for key space planning initiatives.
•    Develop & manage direct report(s), finding the right balance of delegation & direct ownership of deliverables.  
•    Support innovation and seasonal efforts by providing category based data analysis and presentation materials.
•    Develop and maintain a positive, productive relationship with trade marketing, field sales, and brand team stakeholders.
•    Support a high achieving Category Management team capable of sustaining the company’s profitability, goals, and vision.
•    Take on a subject matter expert role for key data tools (i.e. assortment, IRI, loyalty data, etc.) to help assist other team members. 
•    Create, build, and deploy a pro-active, consultative engagement plan with Sales and Field Category teams to engage customers on checkout solutions that balance shopper convenience, operational efficiency, and sales conversion.
•    Build and maintain foundational knowledge of impulse conversion, retail design, shopping behavior, and other knowledge areas working with Impulse Marketing, CSU and External thought leaders. 

Developmental Opportunities: 

•    Interact with cross-functional team members from different departments and levels of the organization, gaining exposure, awareness of other functions, and experience collaborating.
•    Lead key projects and demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit as you help address category management opportunities.  Be responsible for launching & developing important resources that will be leveraged across the organization.    
•    Participate in Ferrero & CatMan specific trainings to sharpen your skills and prepare for advancement opportunities within the CatMan team.  
•    Formal and informal mentorships with stakeholders for Sales, Trade Marketing, Brand, and Consumer & Shopper Understanding.  Provides for multiple career mapping opportunities.  

Who we are looking for:

• 7 years relevant experience required, CPG Foods experience is preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in a business/marketing discipline required; MBA a plus
• Prior Category Management role is a must and required; Additional insights experience preferred
• Syndicated data experience (IRI or Nielsen) where candidate has pulled their own data.
• Planogramming experience (JDA, Apollo, Spaceman, etc)
• Ability to analyze and interpret complex sets of data and make business recommendations based on analysis.          
• Must possess a basic knowledge of project/program management concepts, practices and procedures
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to build consensus and foster positive relationships.
• Capacity to solve problems through creative, innovative solutions and challenge traditional methods of accomplishing tasks and removing obstacles.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with all levels of the organization and in a variety of cultures.
• Ability to creatively organize and present data in Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong organization and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate and work well cross-functionally.
• Strong project management skills.
• Ability to convince, influence, and motivate all levels within the business to achieve objectives.
• 25% Travel required for customer meetings and industry events

Compensation Data

The base salary range for this position is $136,000.00 - $194,000.00 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This range represents the anticipated salary for this position at this time.

In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. Learn more about our benefits at https://www.ferrerocareers.com/us/en/our-benefits

How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:

Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world. 

Diversity Statement

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.

Ferrero N.A. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.