Vice President, Category Leadership

Location and Work Style

This position is based in Chicago and requires in-office presence at least three days per week to facilitate effective communication, supervision, problem-solving, and involvement in team projects.

Role Overview

We are searching for a Vice President of Category Leadership & Management to join our Sales department, reporting directly to the Chief Customer Officer. This pivotal leadership role aims to drive organizational growth by formulating and implementing category growth strategies across all U.S. channels and portfolios, including Sugar Confections, Fruit Snacks, and the comprehensive Ferrero confectionery line. The role is designed to establish the company as a credible thought leader and trusted partner with retail clients by utilizing diverse data sets to convert insights into persuasive sales engagements and actionable category expansion plans. Collaboration with Marketing and Sales leadership on key initiatives aligned with corporate growth goals is essential. The role involves approximately 25–30% business travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and communicate category growth strategies emphasizing Distribution, Merchandising, Shelving, and Pricing fundamentals across all U.S. channels and portfolios.
• Plan and maintain long-term category management strategies on 1-, 3-, and 5-year horizons.
• Convert category management priorities into actionable sales initiatives and narratives annually and over the long term.
• Promote a customer-centric strategic mindset within brand, category, and innovation teams to extend reach and reinforce brand values and innovation.
• Derive actionable, high-quality consumer and shopper insights leveraging advanced analytics on demographic, transactional, and syndicated data to inform product development cycles.
• Collaborate closely with Field Sales, Sales Operations, and Customer Marketing teams to develop aligned KPIs and maintain process integrity.
• Support Joint Business Plans for key clients in alignment with Sales Leadership.
• Oversee data and tool vendor relationships and contracts; align demand planning within the Sales and Operations Planning process.
• Lead, develop, and coach the category leadership team to achieve business objectives.
• Recruit and nurture a motivated and capable Category Management team aligned with company goals and profitability targets.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Identify and prioritize consumer needs with commercially viable opportunities in the consumer packaged goods sector.
• Combine strategic insight and quantitative analysis to translate data into compelling business stories that influence decisions.
• Experience integrating consumer-focused insights across all stages of product innovation and development.
• Strategize and proactively drive category objectives involving distribution, shelving, pricing, and merchandising.
• Expertise in qualitative research techniques and moderation.
• Strong interpersonal skills to foster robust internal and external stakeholder relationships and achieve sales goals.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint for data storytelling.
• Demonstrated ability to meet objectives by prioritizing, managing teams and workstreams, and influencing outcomes effectively under pressure.
• Advocate consumer perspectives while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Experience thriving in fast-paced environments and adapting to dynamic consumer landscapes.
• Global mindset and ambition to build a successful career in a growing international organization.

Experience and Qualifications

• 12–15+ years in category management, market or consumer insights, innovation, or future trends within consumer-facing CPG companies; food or confectionery industry experience preferred.
• At least 10 years in customer management with prior category management roles.
• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related fields; advanced degrees (MBA or in Social Sciences, Data Science, Market Research, etc.) preferred.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research and data analysis capabilities.
• Proven experience using advanced analytics to develop data-driven programs to enhance business KPIs.
• Customer-facing experience in sales or category management required; trade marketing experience preferred.
• Expertise in syndicated data usage (preferably IRI/Circana) and shopper insights platforms.
• Proven leadership and people management experience with success in talent development.

Compensation and Benefits

This role offers an annual salary ranging from $211,875 to $296,625. Employees are supported with comprehensive health and financial benefits along with paid time off. Eligible employees may qualify for an annual bonus based on company performance.