Center of Store & N.A.B. Category Manager bei None

Full-time + Benefits

Office Location: 2860 N. Santiago Blvd., Orange, CA 92867

30%-75% Travel (Travel to different C-Store sites)

Position Summary

The Center of Store & Non-Alcoholic Packaged Beverage Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing strategies for all center-store categories (shelf-stable grocery, snacks, candy, health & wellness, general merchandise, etc.) and non-alcoholic packaged beverages (energy drinks, bottled water, teas, sodas, etc.). This role will manage vendor relationships, product selection, pricing, promotions, merchandising, and in-store marketing execution to maximize sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction across our convenience store network.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Category Strategy & Performance 

• Develop and execute category strategies to optimize assortment, pricing, and promotions across packaged beverages and center-store categories. 
• Analyze category performance, trends, and consumer insights to identify opportunities for growth. 
• Continuously refine product mix to balance national brands, private label, and regional/local items. 

Vendor & Supplier Management 

• Negotiate contracts, pricing, rebates, and promotional funding with beverage companies and CPG suppliers. 
• Build long-term partnerships with key suppliers to drive category innovation and margin improvement. 
• Monitor supplier performance and compliance with agreements.  

Operational Execution 

• Collaborate with operations to ensure planogram compliance, proper inventory levels, and promotional execution. 
• Provide guidance to store teams on merchandising standards for center-store and beverage categories. 
• Monitor shelf availability, product rotation, and minimize out-of-stocks. 

Promotions & Marketing 

• Partner with marketing to design promotions and campaigns that drive volume and basket size. 
• Develop pricing and bundling strategies (e.g., snack + drink combos). 
• Create in-store signage, displays, and callouts that align with our brand identity, ensuring consistency across all locations. 
• Track competitive activity and market trends to inform future strategies. 

Financial & Analytical Management 

• Own category P&L and deliver against sales and gross margin targets. 
• Track KPIs include sales growth, transaction counts, promotional lift, and vendor funding secured. 
• Deliver actionable insights through regular reporting on category performance. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Supply Chain, or related field (preferred). 
• 5+ years of experience in category management, merchandising, or CPG vendor management (convenience retail or grocery experience highly desirable). 
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and vendor management skills. 
• Excellent understanding of consumer trends in packaged beverages and center-store categories. 
• Strong communication and collaboration skills. 

Physical Demands and Work Environment: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent is regularly required to talk or hear. 
• The employee frequently is required to use hands, fingers, handle or feel objects, tools and controls. 
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. 
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and in an office setting. 

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Note:    This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.  All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.  To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills aptitudes and abilities to perform each duty proficiently.  Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others.  The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills or abilities.  This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.