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Natural Grocers is a U.S.-based specialty retailer offering natural and organic groceries, wellness products, and household essentials at an accessible price point. Its assortment includes organic produce, bulk foods, dairy, meat and seafood, body care, vitamins and supplements, pet products, and Natural Grocers brand items. The company combines retail operations with health-focused services such as nutritional coaching, rewards, educational resources, and community events, serving customers interested in healthy living, sustainable choices, and carefully screened ingredients.
Senior Category Manager, Dairy and Meat — Natural Grocers, Golden, CO (Hybrid)
Lead dairy and meat category strategy at Natural Grocers, covering assortment, pricing, promotions, supplier negotiations, and store execution. Drive category profitability while supporting consistent purchasing and merchandising operations.
Description
- Own enterprise-wide or cross-functional category performance.
- Set and refine category assortments, planograms, pricing, and promotional strategies.
- Build and maintain core assortments and schematics, including new, exclusive, and private-label products.
- Oversee product launches, discontinuations, and store-specific assortments.
- Work with coordinators and stores to ensure accurate, consistent execution, including new-store openings.
- Assess new products against Natural Grocers’ quality standards.
- Negotiate with suppliers for competitive costs, value-added programs, and exclusivity opportunities.
- Develop vendor and broker relationships that support sustained category growth.
- Coordinate ordering activities for promotions, new products, and new stores.
- Maintain accurate pricing and inventory levels.
- Ensure returns, recalls, and related credits are properly processed and recovered.
- Oversee promotional execution, documentation, and validation of vendor funding.
- Apply pricing strategies that balance market competitiveness with margin objectives.
- Resolve pricing, freight, and promotional discrepancies.
- Act as a key contact for stores, coordinators, suppliers, brokers, and internal partners.
- Provide guidance and training to support in-store execution of purchasing initiatives.
- Hire, coach, and manage two Purchasing Assistants or other support staff.
- Direct daily workflow, accuracy, and prioritization.
- Conduct performance reviews and manage employee development and corrective actions.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business preferred.
- At least seven years of experience in buying or category management, preferably in corporate natural-foods retail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple complex projects under pressure and meet deadlines.
- Proficiency and technical aptitude with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.
- Previous SAP experience is a plus.
- Strong analytical ability and experience interpreting results.
- Strong relationship-building, negotiation, and influencing skills.
- Willingness to travel up to 25%.