Category Manager, Hot Foods
Circle K, Charlotte, NC, United States
Position Summary
The Category Manager – Foodservice is responsible for managing and growing assigned Foodservice categories through strong collaboration with Business Units, vendor partners, and cross-functional teams. This role owns category performance across sales, margin, assortment, pricing, and execution, while supporting innovation, promotional planning, and continuous improvement of in-store performance.
The Category Manager serves as a key link between strategy and execution, translating category objectives into actionable plans that are simple, scalable, and executable in stores. Also, any additional duties as assigned.
Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Performance Management
Own day-to-day management and performance of assigned Foodservice categories
Analyze category sales, margin, and execution performance to identify opportunities and risks
Support development and execution of category strategies aligned to Foodservice objectives
Monitor industry trends and competitive activity to inform recommendations
Assortment, Pricing & Promotion
Support assortment planning, product transitions, and lifecycle management
Partner on pricing and promotional planning, including execution of vendor-funded programs including, but not limited to, national vendor rebate management
Analyze planogram effectiveness and provide recommendations to improve performance
Vendor & Program Management
Manage assigned vendor relationships including item setup, costs, in-stocks, and logistics
Support negotiations, performance reviews, and issue resolution with vendor partners
Plan, track, and execute vendor initiatives, incentives, and contests with Operations and BUs
Execution, Training & Field Support
Partner with Operations, Training, and Field teams to support successful in-store execution
Participate in field visits to observe execution and collaborate with stores and BU leaders
Support development of tools, communications, and training materials that drive consistency
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Collaborate with Head of Food, Directors, Marketing, Supply Chain, QA, Finance, and BUs
Support innovation launches, pilots, and regional tests
Contribute to team financial targets and annual business planning efforts
Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or related field (or equivalent experience)
3–5+ years of experience in category management, merchandising, foodservice, retail, or CPG
Strong analytical skills with ability to translate data into actionable insights
Understanding of retail execution and store-level operations
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and collaboration skills
Willingness to travel up to 40%
Preferred
Foodservice or Fresh / Prepared Foods category experience
Experience working with national or regional vendors
Familiarity with promotional planning, planograms, and in-store execution models
Exposure to Food Safety, QA, or regulated food environments
Circle K is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The Company complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and all state and local disability laws. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the ADA and certain state or local laws as long as it does not impose an undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company’s Human Resources Representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
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The Category Manager – Foodservice is responsible for managing and growing assigned Foodservice categories through strong collaboration with Business Units, vendor partners, and cross-functional teams. This role owns category performance across sales, margin, assortment, pricing, and execution, while supporting innovation, promotional planning, and continuous improvement of in-store performance.
The Category Manager serves as a key link between strategy and execution, translating category objectives into actionable plans that are simple, scalable, and executable in stores. Also, any additional duties as assigned.
Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Performance Management
Own day-to-day management and performance of assigned Foodservice categories
Analyze category sales, margin, and execution performance to identify opportunities and risks
Support development and execution of category strategies aligned to Foodservice objectives
Monitor industry trends and competitive activity to inform recommendations
Assortment, Pricing & Promotion
Support assortment planning, product transitions, and lifecycle management
Partner on pricing and promotional planning, including execution of vendor-funded programs including, but not limited to, national vendor rebate management
Analyze planogram effectiveness and provide recommendations to improve performance
Vendor & Program Management
Manage assigned vendor relationships including item setup, costs, in-stocks, and logistics
Support negotiations, performance reviews, and issue resolution with vendor partners
Plan, track, and execute vendor initiatives, incentives, and contests with Operations and BUs
Execution, Training & Field Support
Partner with Operations, Training, and Field teams to support successful in-store execution
Participate in field visits to observe execution and collaborate with stores and BU leaders
Support development of tools, communications, and training materials that drive consistency
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Collaborate with Head of Food, Directors, Marketing, Supply Chain, QA, Finance, and BUs
Support innovation launches, pilots, and regional tests
Contribute to team financial targets and annual business planning efforts
Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or related field (or equivalent experience)
3–5+ years of experience in category management, merchandising, foodservice, retail, or CPG
Strong analytical skills with ability to translate data into actionable insights
Understanding of retail execution and store-level operations
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and collaboration skills
Willingness to travel up to 40%
Preferred
Foodservice or Fresh / Prepared Foods category experience
Experience working with national or regional vendors
Familiarity with promotional planning, planograms, and in-store execution models
Exposure to Food Safety, QA, or regulated food environments
Circle K is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The Company complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and all state and local disability laws. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the ADA and certain state or local laws as long as it does not impose an undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company’s Human Resources Representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
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