What are the responsibilities and job description for the Category Manager position at Elephants Food Group Inc?
About Elephants
A locally owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now has seven Portland-metro area retail locations and a bustling catering company, all serving great local foods prepared from scratch. A certified B Corporation, Elephants Delicatessen prides itself on sustainable practices and voluntarily meets a higher standard of transparency and accountability, using the power of business as a force for good.
About the job
Are you passionate about curating unique, high-quality grocery products? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where strategic thinking, vendor relationships, and customer engagement shape success? Elephants Delicatessen, Portland’s premier food retailer, is seeking a Category Manager to drive product selection, pricing, promotions, and merchandising across our retail stores, e-commerce, and gift basket programs.
What You’ll Do
✔ Product Selection & Strategy – Research, analyze, and curate a selection of specialty and proprietary grocery products that delight our customers.
✔ Vendor Management – Negotiate with vendors to secure the best quality, pricing, and unique offerings while building strong supplier relationships.
✔ Pricing & Profitability – Develop pricing strategies that balance competitiveness and profitability, ensuring a strong bottom line.
✔ Merchandising & E-Commerce – Partner with teams to create visually appealing in-store displays and optimize online product presentations.
✔ Inventory & Demand Forecasting – Ensure efficient inventory flows, manage product life cycles, and maximize sales potential.
✔ Marketing & Promotions – Collaborate on creative marketing initiatives and category-specific events to drive sales and customer engagement.
✔ Leadership & Collaboration – Train and support store teams, align strategies with company goals and embody our core values: Excellence, Unity, and Sustainability.
What We’re Looking For
🔹 A results-driven, analytical thinker with experience in category management, merchandising, or purchasing.
🔹 A strong negotiator who can build and maintain positive vendor relationships.
🔹 Someone who understands retail trends, inventory planning, and pricing strategies.
🔹 A team player who can collaborate across departments, from marketing to operations.
🔹 A creative, detail-oriented professional who brings a customer-first mindset to everything they do.
Why Elephants Delicatessen?
✨ A Portland institution – We’ve served the community with high-quality, hand-crafted food since 1979.
✨ Passion for quality – We believe in sourcing the best ingredients and products for our customers.
✨ Growth & innovation – We’re always evolving and expanding, and we want you to be a part of it.
✨ A values-driven workplace – We prioritize sustainability, teamwork, and excellence in all we do.
If you’re ready to bring your expertise and creativity to a company that values quality, community, and innovation, we’d love to hear from you!
📩 Apply today and be a part of the Elephants Delicatessen family!
Elephants Delicatessen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
