Sr Category Manager

Summary

Sr. Category Manager, JLB – for Target

About JLBJLB is an award-winning retail consulting firm that helps brands succeed at Target and helps Target win in the marketplace. We offer tailored solutions across Sales, Strategy, Category Management, Insights, and Shopper Marketing.

Our Category Management team works across a broad mix of categories at Target, giving you opportunities to discover new interests and build your expertise. That variety keeps the work fresh and engaging, with new perspectives and challenges to discover.

The RoleYou’re curious, organized, and a little obsessed with retail. You’d rather find the insight than just report the numbers, and you get a kick out of spotting the trend or the white space before anyone else does. You’re detailed enough to catch the wrong item on a planogram, but you can zoom out and see where the category should go next. You want a seat at the table to help shape the future of retail, and you like helping your teammates grow along the way. Sound like you? Let’s talk.

What You’ll Do

• Own day-to-day relationships with Target merchants, and cross-functional partners, and lead weekly and ad hoc meetings.
• Serve as the category expert, analyzing market trends, shopper behavior, and competitive activity to anticipate risks, identify emerging opportunities, and provide strategic recommendations to the Target merchant team.
• Lead strategic analysis to guide decisions on assortment, merchandising, innovation, pricing, promotions, and digital commerce.
• Own the transition and revision planogram process including physical and virtual planogram writing.
• Develop and maintain ongoing reporting to track category performance and flag changes that require attention.
• Lead category and seasonal reviews, evaluating results and recommending priorities for the next planning cycle.
• Synthesize complex data from multiple sources into clear, compelling narratives that explain the findings, support recommendations, and demonstrate thought leadership.
• Challenge the status quo by identifying white-space opportunities and driving new ways to grow the business.
• Support division-level strategy projects and mentor team members, with opportunities to manage others.
• Proactively improve how the Category Management team works by developing more efficient processes, templates, and ways of working.
• Be adaptable and willing to step in to support the team when needed.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 5 years in Category Management or Category Captainship, with experience turning retail data into actionable recommendations for category strategy, product assortment, and merchandising.
• Minimum 3 years of experience developing and executing planograms using space planning software (Blue Yonder, JDA).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• A background managing multiple categories, with the ability to apply Category Management fundamentals across different businesses.
• Experience supporting Target or another major national retailer.
• Strong leadership skills in guiding team members and partnering with clients.
• Familiarity with panel data and market data.
• Working knowledge of Power BI is beneficial.
• A background in managing or mentoring team members to support their development.
• Practical use of AI tools to support data analysis and improve efficiency.

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

Responsibilities

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Essential Responsibility

• Relationships: Manage relationships with client (Target) teams for their businesses: including Senior Merchant, Director Merchant, business analyst, inventory analyst, space & transition planning & pricing promo team. This includes active participation in weekly business unit meetings with Target, preparation & presentation for running weekly Category Manager meetings with Target, attending ad hoc Target meetings. Must come to meetings with an in-depth knowledge of weekly category and industry findings and be an active listener for how we can support current business needs. Serves as a trusted advisor and coach to junior team members, driving their professional development, enhancing their skill sets, and cultivating a culture of continuous learning and knowledge-sharing.
• Reporting: Owns the end-to-end reporting process, combining advanced data analytics with a deep understanding of business drivers. Integrates multiple data sources to deliver detailed weekly reports and strategic insights that highlight performance trends, opportunities, and risks. Incorporates insights on sales, promotions, inventory in multiple roll ups like brand, vendor, subcategory, and item. Develops and manages custom attributes, enabling deeper analysis and providing valuable insights into business performance. Collaborates with cross-functional teams to provide actionable recommendations. Is proactive at identifying and creating ad hoc reporting based on the needs of the business.
• Marketplace Insights/Competitive Shops: Analyze competitive marketplace and retailer trends including merchandising, pricing, brand and sku selection. Report on market share, competitive retailer performance, and industry trends. Identify emerging trends, opportunity items, pricing gaps, promotional themes, and merchandising recommendations. Synthesizing data and visuals into digestible and insight driven presentations for the Target merchant team. Also supports the Associate Director in analyzing larger floorpad competitive comparison such as the categories space allocation for a total division compared to competition.
• Category & Seasonal Reviews: Gain a deep understanding of client (Target) strategies and complete deep dives into the following: sales, space to sales, consumer & guest insight/behavior and basket drivers, category segmentation, pricing tiers, assortment gaps and white space. Develop top impacts for underperforming items & segments along with recommendations for maximizing productivity. Is successful at synthesizing to create executive summaries and key recommendations summaries independently. Effectively presents to the client, leveraging expert communication skills to deliver compelling and persuasive presentations that drive strategic client decisions and long-term partnerships.
• Planogram Process: Own the transition & revision planogram process from start to finish. This includes managing T&A, confirming item images & attributes, merchandise planning, SVP walk-through support, planogram optimization and writing all planogram versions. Proactively analyzes and prepares strategic recommendations to influence planogram version strategy and segmentation strategies. Aligns planograms to business objectives that enhance the customer's experience. Writing all planogram versions includes managing up to 2,000 planograms, store ties, fixture placement, signage and proofing. Provides guidance and mentorship to junior team members and collaborates with senior leadership to drive continuous improvement. May also build other categories to cover co-workers time off or maternity leaves.
• Digital Support: Creates comprehensive reporting and seasonal reporting to analyze the business from a digital perspective. Analysis focuses on channel sales performance and behavior, search, purchasability and site content and experience. Leverages advanced digital tools and resources to generate competitive insights. Provides strategic recommendations to client (Target) and cross-functional teams, driving digital strategy and performance improvements. Supports junior members by creating templates for the team for digital reporting and mentoring in digital acumen.
• Macro & Micro Trends: Research trends, utilizing both internal and external resources to gain deep insights. Identifies and evaluates emerging trends, integrating these insights into strategic category initiatives. Effectively identify changes in the market and synthesize insights into meaningful recommendations. Collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure trend insights are effectively applied to drive category growth and innovation.
• Leader in the Category Management Team Space: Provide thought partnership and assist junior team members in creating analyses and insights. Lead the development and dissemination of training materials, process improvements, and efficiency tips. Mentor and coach team members, fostering professional growth and strong team relationships. Conduct formal training sessions and workshops to enhance team skills and capabilities. Share knowledge and best practices with the team through both informal and formal channels, driving continuous improvement and innovation.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct Reports- This position does not have supervisory responsibilities for direct reports

Indirect Reports- Does not have direct reports, but may delegate work of others and provide guidance, direction and mentoring to indirect reports

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Strategic: Possesses a profound understanding of business strategy, initiatives, and processes. Driven by curiosity and self-motivation, this individual delves deeply to develop well-informed opinions. They have the unique ability to synthesize their findings with insights and trends, transforming them into actionable recommendations. They identify innovative ideas and provide clear direction for the category, aligning with Target’s vision for both short-term gains and long-term growth.
• Organized Excellence: Exceptionally organized with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities and consistently meet all deadlines. This individual proactively understands and anticipates deliverables from 2-3 buying teams and internal company needs, ensuring all workstreams are executed in a timely and efficient manner. Their meticulous planning and prioritization skills enable them to coordinate complex projects seamlessly, maintaining high standards of productivity and precision across all tasks.
• Advanced Analytical Expertise: Demonstrates superior analytical skills by objectively evaluating multiple data sources to solve complex problems. Utilizes a range of tools, techniques, and business inquiries to generate comprehensive and insightful presentations. Their ability to distill vast amounts of information into clear, actionable insights underscores their proficiency in data analysis and strategic thinking.
• Detail-Oriented Precision: Exhibits exceptional attention to detail in data attribution and maintaining data accuracy. Possesses the keen ability to identify discrepancies and flaws in data, as well as in Space Planning (JDA). Their meticulous approach ensures the integrity and reliability of all data-related processes, contributing to seamless and efficient operations.
• Expert in resources: Proficient in the following tools & resources: Market Insights/Competitive Retail, Syndicated Data, Panel Data, Excel, Power Point, JDA (Merchandising), POS systems, Kantar, Mintel, Numerator, and Target specific tools (Vendor IQ, Partners Online, Domo, CKS)
• Exceptional Customer Service: Demonstrates outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, delivering concise, professional, and timely responses to clients, Target buyers, cross-functional partners, and internal team members. Their ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders ensures seamless collaboration and exceptional service, fostering strong relationships and enhancing overall satisfaction. Their commitment to excellence in customer service reflects a deep understanding of the importance of clear and responsive communication in driving business success.
• Unwavering Commitment: Exemplifies self-motivation and proactivity, demonstrating an unyielding dedication to delivering exceptional results. This individual consistently drives initiatives forward, approaching challenges with a solution-oriented mindset. Their relentless pursuit of excellence and innovative problem-solving abilities ensure the successful achievement of goals and the continuous improvement of processes.

Environmental & Physical Requirements Typical office time spent for reporting, meetings and planogram writing. Monthly store walks/retailer visits. Bi-annual product unboxing & setting planograms live in the office for SVP walks (typically planograms are set for 8 weeks). Sales plan sets live in the office live 6-8 times per year.

Additional Information Regarding Job Duties and Job Descriptions

Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

Important Information

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.