Category Manager

ABOUT ROLAND FOODS

Roland Foods, LLC, based in New York City, is an importer and distributor of high-quality specialty food products from more than 40 countries. Founded in Paris in 1934 and established in the U.S. in 1939, the Company provides customers with exceptional specialty foods, primarily offered under the Roland brand. The company sells its quality foods across the foodservice, retail, and industrial channels as well as internationally.  Foodservice is the heart of the business, with the Roland® brand being one of the esteemed back-of-house brands in the industry. Roland Foods’ is the original purveyor of the world’s finest flavors and its assortment is unrivalled, with products spanning global cuisine segments: from French Dijon mustard, to Israeli couscous, to Thai fish sauce, to Mexican salsa macha, Roland Foods procures ingredients from the places that make them best.  And for this the Roland® brand is synonymous with quality, authenticity and creativity for the consumer and chef alike.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Category Manager you will serve as a vital part of the organization, guiding departmental strategy and optimizing the procurement function by managing relationships with key supplier partners, ensuring continuity of supply for priority product categories, reducing spend by proactively managing cost of goods, and working cross functionally with departmental stake holders to support operational goals.

As a response to the pandemic, Roland Foods office employees have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, requiring employees to report in-person Tuesday through Thursday, with the option to telework on Monday and Friday each week. Due to the collaborative, cross-functional nature of the organization, employees at the NY and NJ offices are required to work in-person for the abovementioned days, outside of any People & Culture-approved disability accommodation request.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage success and performance of portfolio of product categories across a range of KPIs including fill rate, spend, and overall category profitability
• Support customer bid opportunities and track the progress and success of such opportunities
• Manage multi-round price negotiations with suppliers to secure market leading costs for each product category in your portfolio
• Manage product categories as the subject matter expert by conducting proactive category reviews, providing recommendations to sales and strategy teams for SKU rationalization and opportunities for category optimization
• Report to executive leadership on spending, savings, inventory commitments, supply constraints, etc.                                                
• Partner with Sales to understand customer demand and translate that information into accurate forecasts; work with Supply and Demand Planning Analysts to ensure proper PO placement to maintain sufficient inventory stock levels
• Building awareness of global market trends and be able to effectively communicate to cross-functional stake holders regarding potential impacts, such as rising costs, falling demand, etc., at the category level           

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• 5+ years of Replenishment and Procurement experience for multiple distribution locations
• Intermediate/advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficient in Power Point, Outlook, etc
• Experience leading and owning projects – often multiple projects – from beginning to end while keeping company leadership informed throughout
• Proactive and entrepreneurial thinker with a strong sense of urgency and ability to prioritize tasks

Preferred

• Degree in Business or other related field
• Experience in AX, Oracle, SAP or similar ERP software
• Work with Suppliers, Sales, Product Development, Quality, Import, Logistics teams on issue prevention or mitigation to ensure customer satisfaction
• Ability to understand nuance and detail without losing sight of the “big picture” and stay focused on operational objectives
• Excellent communicator with proactive sense of ownership of the responsibilities of the role
• Experience with business intelligence software (Tableau, PowerBI, etc.) a plus
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, organizational skills, ability to multi-task and prioritize
• Experience in CPG or Food & Beverage is a plus

SALARY RANGE

Roland Foods hires exceptional people to perform a wide variety of important functions that contribute to the success of the Company. One of the ways Roland Foods does that is through a competitive compensation package. The base salary for this role will be $105,000 - $125,000.

This role is bonus eligible.

Based on your qualifications, previous experience, and transferrable skills, the Company will determine at its sole discretion the salary offered.

Founded by immigrants, Roland Foods knows that diversity is the spice of life. We believe in the power of food to open minds, spark adventure, and bring diverse people together.  All are welcome at our table! We know the transformative value of food in individual lives and communities. Because of this, we insist on obtaining the highest-quality ingredients and talent!

Roland Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Roland Foods considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Roland Foods is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at 

peopleandculture@rolandfoods.com

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