Category Director / Lead – On the Go Beverages

At Sunny Sky Products, we pride ourselves on our commitment to creating, manufacturing, and delivering top-quality products in the beverage industry. Our extensive product portfolio includes frozen beverages, cold & hot drinks, and beverage enhancers. Our mission is to have our beverages consumed and enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Come join our fast-growing team and enjoy our culture, where we have fun and play to win!

Position Overview

Sunny Sky Products is seeking an experienced and dynamic Category Director/Lead - On the Go Beverages to drive strategic growth in our Soft Drink and Slushies & Smoothies product lines. This role is responsible for ensuring the On the Go category delivers on top-line and bottom-line growth while serving as a key bridge between Sales, Marketing, and R&D. The Category Director will take a Category Captain approach to business growth, overseeing portfolio management, category leadership, and customer engagement strategies.

Responsibilities

Category Ownership & Strategy

• Serve as the in-house expert and owner of the On the Go beverage category, driving strategy across Soft Drinks (carbonated beverages, lemonades, refreshers, aguas frescas, etc.) and Slushies & Smoothies.
• Leverage P&L insights to execute strategic growth initiatives, ensuring profitability and alignment with company goals.
• Guide portfolio management strategy, identifying gaps and opportunities for innovation within the On the Go category.
• Lead execution of category initiatives across all brands, including in-house (Dr. Smoothie, Pure, El Nino, OSC) and licensed brands (Jolly Rancher, Sour Patch Kids, etc.).

Category Leadership & Market Intelligence

• Provide thought leadership on Soft Drinks/On the Go trends and strategies, both internally and externally.
• Conduct deep analysis of category and consumer dynamics, as well as market trends, to identify white space opportunities for growth.
• Develop and execute Category Captain projects with key customers, helping them craft growth strategies for assortment, equipment, and trade marketing.

Customer & Sales Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales to identify key account targets across multiple channels (C-Store, Foodservice, Enterprise, Specialty, E-commerce).
• Serve as a Category Expert in discussions with key customers, helping to develop presentations and business cases that drive growth.
• Support Sales in building customer relationships and selling strategies that align with category growth objectives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Marketing: Align on brand development, brand architecture, and brand content strategy.
• Sales Team: Provide support for customer relationships and sales cycles.
• Sales Support: Leverage data, analytics, and trade marketing insights.
• R&D Team: Partner on product development and innovation.
• Finance & Operations: Ensure financial and operational alignment in category initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience: 7 years in the Soft Drinks category, with a strong understanding of category and consumer trends.
• Industry Expertise: Experience in both retail (C-Store, Foodservice) and manufacturer (CPG company) environments.
• Category Leadership: Proven ability to lead Category Captain projects, drive assortment, equipment, and trade marketing strategies.
• Cross-Functional Experience: Strong background in sales, marketing, or trade marketing, with extensive experience working across multiple teams.
• Strategic Mindset: Ability to collaborate with Sales to build key customer relationships and drive business growth.
• Communication Skills: Strong ability to represent the company externally and present category insights effectively.
• Leadership & Execution: A "Doer" mentality with a collaborative approach to success.
• Financial Acumen: P&L management experience, with the ability to balance growth and profitability.

For more information about our company please visit our website at www.sunnyskyproducts.com

Sunny Sky Products is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship.