What are the responsibilities and job description for the Lead, Category Leadership - Walmart position at Smucker Retail Foods, Inc.?
Your Opportunity as the Lead, Category Leadership - Walmart As a Walmart Category Advisor for JM Smucker, you will serve as a trusted partner to Walmart’s merchant team on a dynamic advisor team, driving category growth through data-driven insights, strategic recommendations, and flawless execution. You will leverage deep expertise in category management, shopper and consumer analytics, and modular planning to deliver actionable solutions that enhance sales, market share, and customer satisfaction. You will have up to two direct reports, on a team of six. Location: Rogers, AR (JMS Regional Walmart Office) Work Arrangements: Hybrid - onsite a minimum of 9 days a month primarily during core weeks as determined by the Company; maybe more as business need requires In this role you will: Category Leadership & Advisory Act as point person for Walmart merchants on category, shopper, and consumer trends, providing fact-based, insight-led recommendations Lead the modular build process, delivering optimized planograms and assortment strategies that align with Walmart’s objectives Conduct category reviews, SWOT analyses, and scorecard development using syndicated and POS data (Circana, Scintilla, Primary/Secondary Research) Assess new product introductions, market analyses, and assortment changes to drive category and brand growth Insights & Analytics Integrate data from multiple sources (syndicated, panel, POS, customer insights) to uncover compelling trends and develop actionable recommendations Utilize tools such as Scintilla, Excel, PowerPoint, Circana, JDA, and Tableau for analysis and reporting Deliver accurate, insightful reporting to Walmart with expert commentary on current performance and future trends Collaboration & Communication Work cross-functionally with internal teams (Sales, Marketing, Insights, R&D) to support buyer strategies and category initiatives Participate in account strategic planning processes and collaborate on assortment, space, and merchandising solutions Present findings and recommendations confidently to Walmart merchants and internal stakeholders at all levels Continuous Improvement Stay abreast of industry developments and best practices in category management, proactively seeking opportunities to strengthen professional competence Adopt a continuous improvement mindset to elevate advisory execution and advocate for resources and technology to provide leading category capabilities The Right Place for You We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs. What we are looking for: Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree 6 years of Consumer Packaged Goods experience 2 years of Walmart Category Advisory experience Experience building relationships within customers / retailers Experience in analysis of shopper / consumer-based CPG information Strong analytical skills, problem solving, and storytelling experience Scintilla Channel Performance and Shopper experience JDA ProSpace software experience Ability to lead and motivate others Excellent organization and written / verbal communication skills Proficient in leveraging syndicated data Ability to develop and translate insights into actions Strategic mindset to help build and execute effective plans Business & Financial Acumen Ability to travel up to 15% Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role: Shelf IQ experience Experience supervising direct reports and fostering collaboration across a team Learn more about working at Smucker: Helping our Employees Thrive Delivering on Our Purpose Our Continued Commitment to Ensuring a Workplace for All Follow us on LinkedIn® #LI-Hybrid We are a community of passionate, talented professionals committed to making food people and pets love while supporting all those who count on our business. We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual, promote their development and growth and ensure effective collaboration and continued productivity to drive the success of our organization. You deserve a positive and encouraging work environment. One that allows you to deliver your best work and become your best professional self. That is exactly what you will find at Smucker. Inspired by our unique culture, we are determined to support every employee holistically by meeting their physical, emotional and financial needs through: Our Total Rewards benefits Continuous opportunities to learn, grow and develop Our continued progress to become an inclusive and diverse organization. We are taking meaningful steps to enhance the inclusivity of our workplace and the diversity of our organization. Learn more We believe success is driving business growth while also helping those associated with our Company thrive. Learn more The J. M. Smucker Co. (the “Company”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person will be discriminated against in hiring or in any other aspect of their employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, protected veteran/military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.