Senior Category Manager

Role: Senior Manager of Retail Merchandising (Grocery)Duration: PermanentSalary Range: 180-210KLocation: Franklin, TN (Relocation Packages Provided)Travel: 20% Annually (Mostly Regional)Bonus: Discretionary company-based performance - consistently paid out in recent yearsStart Date: ASAPBenefits: Full medical, dental, vision, disability, 401K and stock options availablePosition Summary:Insight Global's client is seeking a seasoned Senior Manager to lead grocery retail initiatives in their Nashville office. This role focuses on driving category performance for our retail clients through expert merchandising strategies, including pricing, promotions, shelf space allocation, and assortment planning. With a strong emphasis on data-driven analytics and strategic planning, you will oversee category strategies within fresh meat and perishables merchandising and operations to optimize sales, profitability, and market share. The ideal candidate brings over 7 years of hands-on experience in grocery retail category management and operations, with a focus on assimilating complex data into actionable decisions that deliver measurable results.Must Haves:Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Retail Management, or related field highly preferred.7+ years of experience in grocery retail category management (different than food service).Category experience that may encompass fresh meat merchandising and operations, with a track record of enhancing performance in fresh and perishable goods.Deep understanding of retail grocery trends and consumer shifts.Experience in merchandising, pricing and promotional strategy, store planning and execution.Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills to foster relationships with clients, vendors, and cross functional teams.Strong analytical skills - able to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data into decision-ready recommendations.Skilled in Excel and Tableau.Day to Day:Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive category strategies for grocery retail clients, emphasizing merchandising elements such as dynamic pricing, targeted promotions, optimal shelf space utilization, supply chain, and visual merchandising to enhance customer engagement and revenue.Assume direct responsibility for managing key categories, with a focus on fresh meat merchandising and operations, ensuring the seamless integration of merchandising tactics with operational execution.Ability to analyze meat protein markets and understand case-ready processing capabilities by integrating market insights, supply chain dynamics, and packaging technologies to drive competitive advantage.Utilize advanced analytics to interpret sales data, consumer trends, competitive landscapes, and market insights, translating them into strategic plans that inform decision-making and drive category growth.Collaborate with internal teams, client retailers, suppliers, and stakeholders to implement merchandising plans and develop supporting merchandising projects.Conduct in-depth category reviews, performance evaluations, and ROI analyses for promotional activities, adjusting strategies based on real-time data to achieve financial targets.Integrate data from various sources (e.g., POS systems, syndicated data, consumer research) into decision-making processes to identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and improve overall category efficiency.Ensure adherence to industry standards, including food safety, sustainability practices, and regulatory compliance, particularly in perishable categories like fresh meat.Mentor team members, share best practices in merchandising and analytics, and contribute to broader retail client projects.