Director, Category Management & Procurement

We are looking to hire an Director, Food Service Innovation that will support the Food Service Operations team in the Long Beach area. We offer industry training, medical, dental and vision insurance, performance bonuses, and a 401(k) match.

The Director of Category Management & Procurement, reporting to the Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising, will lead our category management and procurement functions. This role is critical in driving profitable growth by optimizing product assortments and ensuring that United Pacific’s full range of retail products meet the needs of our growing and diverse customer base. The Director will have a deep understanding of the convenience retail industry, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of successfully leading category management and procurement teams. The ideal candidate will exhibit strategic vision and the ability to execute those strategies at retail. They will be a data-driven, analytical decision-maker, utilizing external and internal data to validate the success of new and existing programs. The Director will develop effective promotional strategies to attract customers and grow basket at our stores, enhance profitability through price optimization, and secure improved product costs and increased vendor funding through exceptional contract negotiations. The Director will strategically manage vendor partnerships to align with our strategic objectives. They will work closely with operations and other stakeholders to ensure the successful execution of programs at retail.

We are a growing company and believe in providing a great place to work and grow. Our motto is “I Got It!” and if you’re looking for a stable, rewarding, challenging career then “I Got It!”

Essential areas of the position include:

• Lead, innovate, and develop product assortment plans for 600 convenience stores across the West Coast and Midwest.
• Utilize external syndicated data to identify trends, consumer behavior opportunities and gaps in our retail offering.
• Optimize store planograms to meet market / customer trends. Determine optimal space planning, to achieve maximum sales revenue.
• Manage our wholesale distributor partner relationship to ensure service levels and other contractual obligations are met.
• Monitor inventory levels and turns to ensure we maximize sales by reducing voids at retail and minimizing obsolete product exposure.
• Lead, coach, and foster a top-performing team environment that encourages creative thinking, proactive solutions to challenges and is results drive
• Oversee our growing private label item mix value chain and seek opportunities to expand the portfolio of items
• Work with the brand marketing and loyalty team to curate offers to drive customer loyalty adoption and retention
• Identify technology opportunities to enhance our supply chain and develop forward thinking product assortment plans
• Take ownership of the monthly Profit & Loss (P&L) for the category management function, ensuring financial targets are on track
• Drive profitability by effectively managing sales initiatives, cost strategies, and promotional investment ROI, while maximizing vendor funding
• Set sales budgets and margin targets for the department and team that align with the company's growth plans. Periodically review results with the category team, and if plans are at risk, adjust tactics and strategies as needed to ensure goals are met.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly presentations of category result drivers with strategic recommendations to executive management, ensuring alignment with company objectives and gaining support for key initiatives.
• Proactively identify new potential vendor relationships, maintain existing vendor relations, successfully negotiate profitable contracts, and holds vendors accountable to agreed terms.  
• Travel to stores as needed to ensure satisfactory implementation of said programs.
• Participate in company-wide initiatives as needed.

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field. An MBA is highly preferred
• 10 years of experience in procurement, category management/merchandising in the convenience store industry, big box retail, grocery, or applicable retail environment
• 7 years in leadership roles with a track record of successfully managing and developing high-performing teams. Ability to inspire, motivate, and guide team members towards achieving strategic goals
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on long-term planning and execution
• Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to interpret data to make informed decisions that drive business growth
• Proven expertise in negotiating with suppliers to secure favorable terms and build long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships
•  Ability to understand customer/market needs and trends, with the capacity to translate this knowledge into effective and innovative product assortment, pricing, and placement strategies
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and present ideas to executive leadership
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to develop and manage budgets, analyze financial reports, and make data-driven decisions to drive results
• Ability to adapt to changing market conditions and business needs, with a proactive approach to identifying opportunities
• Proficiency in procurement and category management software and tools, as well as Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Ability to travel as needed.

The job qualifications described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. United Pacific is an EOE.