Director, Category Management

Primary Purpose:

The Director, Category Management is responsible for developing annual and long-range profit performance plans and budget expectations, and for directing all marketing efforts and product category functions for all product(s) in the category to ensure achievement of marketing objectives and product category strategies.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Direct category P&L, promotional spending, product positioning, and products offered and pricing strategy. Direct the marketing activities and market intelligence of the assigned product category. 
• Direct and review individual channel/regional product category sales and margin objectives and coordinates the development of detailed plans, strategies and contingencies to ensure establishment of realistic budgets within pricing guidelines and commensurate with product category profit objectives. 
• Collaborate with merchandising, marketing and advertising staffs that provide and/or create the components of the marketing programs. Such components include program literature, collateral material, marketing pieces and market research. 
• Oversee category market size, return on invested capital, inventory turns, working capital, stocking strategy, full P&L/revenue responsibility, evaluating share trade-offs, cost to serve both direct and indirect, EBIT, margin/pricing, preferred vendor sourcing, marketing/advertising, positioning products in marketplace and vendor performance. 
• Direct market testing, research, merger and acquisition evaluation for new and emerging products. 
• Provide strong, proactive daily leadership to maintain a positive business climate that will motivate employees, and function as an effective advocate for change and growth. 
• Develop the company’s overall strategy for the stated category in line with the corporate goals, designed to grow revenues and drive all elements of the business plan. 
• Manages people, processes, budgets, performance management, compliance activities, and associate development as required by the job.
• Understands and demonstrates Essendant’s Core Values. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Ability/Other:

• Strong strategic thought process. Broad-based view of marketing, merchandising and advertising – recognizes impact of operations on other functional areas. 
• Skilled in interpersonal communications. 
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across multi functional teams; strong 
• Capable of juggling multiple projects and a complex marketing/merchandising calendar will be critical to success in this role. 
• Excellent management skills – planning, delegating and organizing. Fact based and results oriented thinking. 
• Strong problem resolution skills – practical and logical. 
• Experienced team builder/leader. 
• Advanced analytical and decision making skills. 
• Advanced abilities in Microsoft Office Suite software.

Education:

Required

• Bachelors or better in Marketing or related field.

Preferred

• Masters or better.

Experience:

Required

• Experience with manufacturing company distributing its products through multiple channels
• Well versed in product category management and product branding 
• 10 years: progressive success in product category management 
• Strong marketing and consumer goods background with specific product category industry experience