Category Manager

Imperial Dade, a leading North American distributor, has a Category Manager (Jan San) role available! Join a strong and continuously evolving group, helping to continue to grow our business. If you’re eager for your next opportunity, Imperial Dade is a great place to take that next step.

The Category Manager will take ownership of assigned product categories, developing expertise in market trends and leveraging insights for competitive pricing. This role requires building and maintaining strong supplier relationships, negotiating vendor programs for best costs, and supporting sales teams with product requirements and go-to-market strategies. The ideal candidate will have a background in managing multiple projects, leading item management efforts, and performing category assessments to drive profitable growth for the organization.

Imperial Dade is the leading independently owned and operated distributor of foodservice packaging and janitorial supplies in North America. As a provider of customized supply chain solutions, we serve customers in many business-to-business market segments including restaurants, grocery stores, healthcare, sports and entertainment, and cruise lines. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in New Jersey, Imperial Dade serves as a mission-critical partner to more than 120,000 customers through our footprint of 130 branches.

• All correspondence will come directly from Imperial Dade and not a personal email address.*

Responsibilities

You will:

• Manage assigned product categories, ensuring performance and portfolio health.
• Develop deep knowledge of market trends, monitor industry shifts, and contribute to risk mitigation strategies for competitive positioning.
• Engage strategically with suppliers to implement profitable growth initiatives and explore opportunities for consolidation and expansion.
• Cultivate strong internal partnerships to align on cost-saving initiatives, streamline integration efforts, and address local requirements, driving operational efficiency.
• Negotiate vendor programs to enhance product positioning and margins.
• Support item management initiatives, including product rationalization, private label expansion, and new product adoption to improve inventory turns and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Lead in contract negotiations to secure favorable terms and long-term partnerships that ensure profitability and supply chain stability.
• Oversee multiple projects within assigned categories, ensuring deadlines are met and stakeholders are effectively communicated with.
• Work with sales teams to align product requirements, pricing, and go-to-market strategies, helping to accelerate product launches and in-field customer testing to enhance market success.
• Provide proactive support with innovative, alternative solutions to enhance customer satisfaction and drive business results.
• Track supplier performance and explore volume consolidation opportunities to improve margins.
• Collaborate with acquisition, procurement, marketing, and sales teams to support national strategies, streamline supplier integration, and drive supply chain enhancements for improved efficiency and scalability.

Qualifications

You have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in buying, inventory management, or supply chain roles.
• Experience in distribution or related industries preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite and Power BI, with adaptability to learn new technologies and software applications.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools is a plus.
• Effective negotiation abilities to achieve favorable outcomes while maintaining positive supplier relationships.

We offer a dynamic environment for our more than 7,500 employees to work, learn, and grow professionally. We value our people and strive to create rewarding career opportunities by offering competitive salaries and benefits (medical, dental, vision), a 401(k) program with company match, a shared ownership program, life insurance, a generous paid time off package, educational reimbursement, paid family leave, and adoption assistance. We are excited to invite talented individuals with a passion for excellence to join our team.

Imperial Dade is an EEO Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), family medical history, or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors.