What are the responsibilities and job description for the Category Manager position at Performance Foods?
Company Description:
Performance Foodservice, PFG's broadline distributor, maintains a unique relationship with a variety of local customers, including independent restaurants and hotels, healthcare facilities, schools, and quick-service eateries. A team of sales reps, chefs, consultants, and other experts builds close relationships with customers - providing advice on improving operations, menu development, product selection, and operational strategies. The Performance team delivers delicious food but also goes above and beyond to help independent restaurant owners achieve their dreams.
Job Description:
On-site (in the office) position 5 days per week
We Deliver the Goods:
- Competitive pay and benefits, including Day 1 Health & Wellness Benefits, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 401K Employer Matching, Education Assistance, Paid Time Off, and much more
- Growth opportunities performing essential work to support America's food distribution system
- Safe and inclusive working environment, including culture of rewards, recognition, and respect
Manage the customer relations, purchasing, and financial management functions related to assigned product category in order to achieve maximum profits and customer satisfaction. Coordinate the buying, selling, and merchandising efforts of the vendor and distributor, resulting in satisfied customers, profitable sales and above average in-stock percentages, inventory turns, and days accounts payable outstanding. Interfaces with customers, vendors, management, warehouse personnel, and the Accounting, Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Transportation, Information Services, Inbound Freight Traffic personnel, Vice President, Purchasing and other Purchasing personnel. Functions as a team member within the department and organization, as required, and performs any duty assigned to best serve the company.
Position Responsibilities:
- Maintain optimal inventory levels to meet customers' needs. Monitor over-committed and urgent items. Increase inventory turns upon reaching full truckloads. Resolve slow moving and dead inventory issues. Consolidate low volume, slow turning items and vendors.
- Own protein inventory strategy across beef, chicken, and pork categories to ensure in-stock performance while managing shelf life, freshness, and yield risk.
- Optimize inventory turns by balancing fresh vs. frozen mix, managing pack sizes, and leveraging full-truckload purchases aligned with protein demand cycles.
- Proactively address slow-moving, aging, and dead protein inventory through consolidation, substitution, or liquidation strategies.
- Monitor and resolve over-committed, urgent, and at-risk protein items, including buyer outs, short-dated product, and receiving discrepancies.
- Leverage protein market knowledge (boxed beef cuts, trim, commodity vs. branded programs, bird sizes, primal/sub-primal specs) to negotiate buy brackets, inbound freight, backhaul opportunities, cash discounts, extended terms, and earned income.
- Review over-committed, urgent items, buyer's outs, stock adjustments, receiving discrepancies, and sales below cost reports. Negotiate buy brackets, inbound freight rates, backhaul dollars, cash discounts, extended terms, and earned income. Ensure costing and pricing accuracy, with special attention to changes, discrepancies, and customer audits.
- Process returns to vendors including entering vendor bill backs before merchandise leaves our buildings. Set up vendor bill backs with Vice President, Purchasing. Review monthly reports. Work with Accounts Payable to ensure that vendor bill backs are promptly billed and deducted.
- Continuously evaluate protein assortment and supplier base, consolidating low-volume SKUs and underperforming vendors while identifying opportunities for private label, value cuts, and customer-driven substitutions that protect margin without sacrificing quality.
- Assist accounting with invoicing customers for storage and finance charges on excess inventory.
- Communicate issues and solutions to Area Managers, customers, branch multi-unit account personnel, and receiving and shipping personnel. Act as key purchasing contact for Multi-Unit Account Managers and Executives. Act as key purchasing department contact for customers.
- Manage product quality issues such as recalls, etc. Monitor product expiration dates and ensure proper disposal of out-of-date products.
- Manage and train buyers assigned for all facilities.
- Performs other duties as assigned
- Complies with all policies and standards
Benefits:
Click Here for Benefits InformationQualifications:
Required Education: High School Diploma/GED or Equivalent ExperienceRequired Experience: 3-5 years Foodservice distribution and purchasing experience
Preferred qualifications:
Bachelors: Business management, marketing or related area.5-7 years Foodservice distribution and purchasing management experience.
Strong Knowledge of Center of the Plate (COP) product categories, to include beef, chicken, and pork with understanding of the market. 3 years COP buying/category management experience.
EEO Statement:
Performance Food Group and/or its subsidiaries (individually or collectively, the "Company") provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. Please click on the following links to review: (1) our EEO Policy; (2) the "EEO is the Law" poster and supplement; and (3) the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.Salary : $30,000 - $95,000