Job Summary

Pet Food Express is looking for Assistant Category Manager (ACM) to join our Merchandising Department. Reporting to the Merchandising Operations Manager, the person chosen for this junior level role will gain career-making experience in Category Management and build a strong network of industry contacts. The ideal candidate is a confident, independent self-starter with competitive drive, someone who takes initiative, has a high sense of urgency, and the ability to make decisions and take responsibility for them. The ACM must be flexible, solution and idea driven with the ability to react and adjust quickly to changing conditions. If this description sounds like you, apply today!

What you’ll do:

• Provide assistance to Category Managers. Prepare Product to Market documentation, including item setup information and input; creating and vetting product data, preparing and analyzing needed reports.
• Vendor management tasks such as meeting preparation and planning; you’ll work with Category Managers to meet specific vendor meeting goals; create agendas, custom reports and other documentation needed for vendor meetings
• Communicate regularly, build and maintain strong relationships with vendors through use of email, video conferencing and phone conversations to problem solve, verify inventory, collect funds, etc.
• Plan, coordinate, communicate and execute planogram resets for assigned categories as needed. Jointly own project execution and successfully navigate roadblocks
• Work closely with Category Manager to ensure all risk associated with projects and timelines are known and addressed and issues/concerns are escalated to CM in a timely manner
• Assist with inventory management, including working to transfer product into and out of the planogram room
•  Facilitate, promote and leverage collaboration across all levels of PFE (from stores to executives) and between PFE and vendors to achieve department and company goals

What you’ll bring:

• A passion for Pet Products – you truly understand their features, benefits and how each product can help or hinder PFE’s category and company goals
• Results-oriented thinking; the ACM understands the importance of continual progress towards the general goal and that a project must remain on track.
• A proactive, diligent approach and focus to achieve highly accurate work, especially when working on item and project management
• A strong sense of urgency with an intuitive ability to prioritize and understand and anticipate your Category Manager’s needs when clear direction has not been provided
• A collaborative approach with a strong understanding of team cohesion, dynamics and interpersonal relations
• Strong interpersonal, active listening and communication skills with the ability communicate clearly and effectively with employees, management and vendors
• Self-motivation and the ability to respond positively and proactively to challenges and pressure; you have confidence in your ability to handle novel problems and work effectively with people
• Analytic skills with the ability to think objectively and interpret meaningful themes from quantitative and qualitative data
• A knack for influencing & negotiation; you have the ability to present ideas and directions that lead others to action
• Natural problem-solving and decision making capabilities and a positive mindset; you’re able to use rigorous logic and methods to effectively solve problems and take action that aligns with department and company vision and goals
• High degree of technical ability to work with software applications, especially related to Excel including the development of tables, spread sheets, formulas, custom reporting, interfaces, and data transfer
• Outstanding organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize work with a high sense of urgency, attention to detail and maintain flexibility in a fast-paced work environment

What you’ll love:

• Management that cares about your professional development
• Competitive compensation including vacation time, paid holidays and sick time.
• A generous employee discount
• Health insurance, 401k match, profit sharing, and other great benefits—even pet insurance!
• Dog-friendly office with on-site dog park

About the Company

We're Pet food Express, and we're transforming our customers' relationships with their pets. How? With exactly right products, helpful services, and expert advice for even the toughest pet problems. Since 1986, our commitment to purpose over profits has driven our decades-long history of continuously strong growth. We do what's right for our customers and their pets. Everything else follows. Sound like the right fit? We'd love to hear from you.

This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associates/leaders assigned to this job perform. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities.

Pet Food Express is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Pet Food Express is a place where everyone can learn and grow. However you identify and whatever your background, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come to work every day.