Category Director

Overview

We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Director of Category Management to lead enterprise-wide category strategy and profitable growth across assigned Non-Foods product categories. This senior leadership role partners closely with sales, merchandising, and supplier teams to develop and execute targeted category strategies that align with the needs of foodservice distribution.

The Director of Category Management will lead initiatives focused on exclusive brand growth, supplier partnerships, promotional strategy, and sales enablement, while driving cross-functional collaboration and long-term category performance.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Growth

• Drive category sales growth by increasing exclusive brand penetration across all divisions
• Identify and close product gaps through exclusive brand expansion and customer conversion initiatives
• Support acquisition integration efforts by onboarding new suppliers and maximizing enterprise synergies

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, develop, and lead high-performing category management talent
• Provide category leadership, training, and guidance to local leadership and sales teams

Sales & Merchandising Partnership

• Partner with sales and margin management teams to optimize profitable growth
• Coordinate regional sales blitzes and category-focused initiatives with local sales teams
• Develop and execute promotional strategies aligned with category objectives and division leadership

Supplier Strategy & Private Brand Development

• Lead private / exclusive brand product development initiatives
• Negotiate supplier marketing programs in collaboration with merchandising partners
• Participate in RFP processes to secure competitive supplier agreements
• Build strong supplier partnerships to ensure competitive pricing, availability, and performance

Executive Communication & Reporting

• Present category strategies, performance updates, and results to senior leadership
• Leverage data and insights to drive informed decision-making and continuous improvement

Performance Focus Areas

• Sales growth within Non-Foods categories
• Exclusive brand penetration and product void capture
• Marketing income improvement through supplier program negotiations
• Increased cases per drop and lines per drop for street accounts
• Strong supplier partnerships supporting pricing and availability

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 10 years of progressive experience in merchandising or category management within foodservice distribution
• Proven expertise in private / exclusive brand product development
• Experience sourcing products from multiple global regions
• Strong strategic, analytical, and financial acumen
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presenting to executive leadership
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Tableau
• Willingness to travel as needed to support regional sales teams and supplier engagements

Ferraro Foods is an equal opportunity employer.