Senior Manager, Category & Innovation

About the company

Albertsons Companies is at the forefront of the revolution in retail. With a fixation on raising the bar with innovation and building belonging through our culture, our team is rallying our company around a unique purpose: to create joy around each table and inspire a healthier tomorrow for every community.

Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with over 2,200 stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Our well-known banners include Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets, and Balducci's Food Lovers Market. We support our stores with 22 distribution centers and 19 manufacturing plants.

Placing a premium on adaptability, safety and family well-being, our work model, Presence with a Purpose, offers a hybrid work environment between remote work and office time. A one-size-fits-all approach does not apply to everyone, and teams are empowered to make decisions best for them.

Bring your flavor

Building the future of food and well-being starts with you. Join our team and bring your best self to the table.
• bringyourflavor
• LI-MG1

What you will be doing

The Albertsons Own Brands team has an opening for a Senior Manager, Category & Innovation. This position can be located in any of the following locations: Pleasanton, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Plano, TX, Boise, ID.

The Senior Manager, Category & Innovation role is to work with the team to identify long term strategic growth opportunities as growth platforms for Own Brands. In partnership with the Own Brands Director this person will be responsible for leading projects or whole businesses with elevated responsibilities, expectations, and visibility. They are expected to manage all key issues that impact the business driving to meet business objectives as well as lead and coach junior members of the team.

Main responsibilities

• Lead cross functional teams on strategic vision for new products and effectively lead them to commercialize new products or product improvements with excellence including problem solving challenges.

• Lead major strategic projects and/or innovation platforms for category and innovation team and/or total businesses inclusive of innovation and base business. Develop business rationale supported by data/analytics, develop/recommend project plan, present to senior management, and lead project from idea to successful implementation/execution.

• Partner with the Director to set vision, objectives and plans for business and projects.

• Leverage shopper insights and data to develop recommendations around "white space" opportunities, develop size of prize and go to market strategy.

• Lead category management deep dives in key categories in area of responsibility.

• Lead others to support Own Brands initiatives. Lead collaboration with cross functional partners and external stakeholders.

• Focus on delivering exceptional results with little guidance and escalating as necessary.

• Make analysis-based recommendations. Present them concisely and persuasively.

• Expected to seek ways to improve business results and organization on own, not waiting until being directed or asked to do.

• Improve the organization by making recommendations to improve projects, programs and streamline functions. Coach and develop others in formal reporting lines, teams, or informal mentoring and coaching.

• Execute with excellence, seeing projects and programs through to completion.

• Bachelor's degree preferred in Business Marketing, Economics, or Finance.

• 8+ years experience selling / influencing decision makers.

• 8+ years of product innovation management, brand management and/or category management experience in a CPG or retail company.

• Expert knowledge of Own Brands' operations and business.

• Expert analytical skills: category management analytics, PC skills in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Access).

• Demonstrated success at Manager level.

• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead cross functional team members and external stakeholders to deliver projects.

• Demonstrated strategic thinking. Strong understanding and application of innovation thinking and the 4Ps of marketing.

• Demonstrated high capacity, strong work ethic and productivity. Ability to multi-task and manage many complex projects and priorities.

• Expert organization, prioritization, and project management skills, with the ability to develop detailed timelines and ensure all milestones are delivered by due dates. Ability to track issues across multiple locations / departments / divisions.

• Demonstrated successful written and oral presentations skills. Ability to structure and deliver persuasive recommendations.

• Demonstrated ability and willingness to go above and beyond to deliver results, defining projects without direction from others.

• Demonstrated strong analytics and category management.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with key stakeholders to manage the business.

• Must be able to understand and communicate techniques involved in training, merchandising and marketing Own Brands items.

• Strong customer service focus and team building skills. Strong understanding of the Albertsons divisions and how to influence merchandising.

• Advanced presentation skills with the ability to present to senior leaders both internally and externally.