Procurement Category Manager

DESCRIPTION OF EMPLOYER: Founded in 1901, Feeser’s, Inc. is a family owned and operated full-line foodservice distributor located in Harrisburg, PA servicing the Mid-Atlantic region.  Feeser’s provides an expansive offering of dry, refrigerated, and frozen products to a diverse customer base comprised of restaurants, healthcare facilities, educational facilities, and other institutions. 


WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD A CATEGORY MANAGER TO OUR PROCUREMENT TEAM IN HARRISBURG, PA

Category Manager

Position Summary

The Category Manager is responsible for the strategic management, financial performance, and overall success of assigned product categories. This role develops and executes category strategies, manages supplier relationships, drives sales and margin growth, optimizes inventory performance, and ensures the company maintains a competitive product assortment that meets customer needs. The Category Manager serves as the business owner for their assigned categories and provides leadership and direction to Category Specialist.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

· Own the sales, gross margin, rebate, and profitability performance of assigned categories.

· Develop and execute annual category business plans aligned with company financial objectives.

· Monitor category performance and implement corrective action plans when performance targets are not achieved.

· Identify opportunities to improve profitability through pricing, product mix, sourcing, and supplier programs.

· Develop and execute category strategies that support customer demand and company growth objectives.

· Manage product assortment, including new item introductions, item rationalization, and product lifecycle management.

· Conduct regular category reviews to evaluate sales, profitability, inventory, and SKU productivity.

· Identify market trends, product innovation opportunities, and competitive threats.

· Build and maintain strategic supplier partnerships that support category goals.

· Lead supplier business reviews and establish performance expectations.

· Participate in negotiations related to pricing, cost changes, rebates, contracts, and service commitments.

· Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions as necessary.

· Establish inventory strategies and service level expectations for assigned categories.

· Monitor inventory turns, fill rates, stock shortages, and excess inventory.

· Partner with Category Specialist to improve inventory efficiency and maintain product availability.

· Develop contingency plans to minimize supply disruptions and business risk.

· Lead, coach, and develop Category Specialist assigned to the category portfolio.

· Establish clear performance expectations and development goals.

· Conduct regular performance discussions and annual performance evaluations.

· Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

· Partner with Sales, Operations, Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to support business objectives.

· Communicate category opportunities, risks, and market conditions throughout the organization.

· Support customer programs, bids, promotions, and strategic initiatives.

· Participate in budgeting, forecasting, and annual planning activities.

· Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Finance, or related field; equivalent industry experience may be considered.

· Minimum of five (6) years of purchasing, category management, merchandising, procurement, or foodservice distribution experience.

· Demonstrated experience managing supplier relationships, pricing strategies, and inventory performance.

· Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, ERP systems, and category analysis tools.

· Foodservice distribution experience.

· Previous leadership or supervisory experience.

· Experience managing multiple product categories and supplier portfolios.

Feeser's Food Distributors is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.