Overview of the Company
United Wheels Inc. (“UWI”) is an international, privately held business, with affiliated companies and operations in Asia, the Americas and around the world. UWI is a world leader in the design, manufacture and international distribution of bicycles, e-bikes, and rideable toys, manufacturing more than 6 million bicycles and e-Bikes each year. In additional to cycling, UWI is at the forefront of materials science though Allite Inc. and its affiliated companies, which utilizes its proprietary magnesium alloys across numerous industries (e.g., sporting goods, robotics, electronics, aerospace, etc.).
UWI owns and operates several bicycle-related subsidiaries. These subsidiaries include:
Huffy Corp. (https://www.huffybikes.com/), the iconic bicycling company based in Dayton, Ohio, with more than 125 years of bicycling history.
Buzz Bicycles (https//.buzzbicycles.com)
Batch Outdoors Inc. (https://www.batchbicycles.com/)
Niner Brands International Inc. (https://ninerbikes.com/)
VAAST Bicycles, (a division of Allite Inc.) (https://www.vaastbikes.com/)
Summary
- The Category Advisor is an integral member of the Category Management and Walmart customer development teams. This position will present expert, non-biased category insights with objectivity and the highest level of integrity.
- Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide reporting, performance insights, marketplace analysis to influence decisions and strategies to grow the category.
- Conducts regular business reviews focusing on opportunity identification through analytics and business problem solving.
- Critical to role is the ability to synthesize insights and solutions into fact-based communications. Must be seen as the category expert by both the customer and internal teams.
- Conduct insightful customer and shopper segmentation analysis that align with SOTC or other strategic customer training and provides store clustering, retraiting, and feature planning.
- Perform best practice category management techniques: retail intelligence and space optimization (space/sales, store placement, POG planning,.)
- Leads the modular development process. Formulates strategies and executable customer, sales and category plans, incorporating learnings from all angles of category management and insight activities at a category level and across multiple categories.
- Draw modulars for Foot-to-Floor and Preschool Wheels categories, utilizing the current software and completing for all store sets by the deadlines provided by Walmart. This is the process of drawing merchandise position on the shelf in multiple configurations based on store size and assortment breadth.
- Proactively collaborate with the customer and category management teams: identify and facilitate process improvement opportunities, knowledge sharing and best practices application with other team members.
- Ensure continual training and development to enhance business knowledge and analytical skills.
- Other duties may be assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities
No current supervisory responsibilities
Education and/or Experience
A passion for Cycling and the Outdoors! Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university required, preferably in business. MBA preferred. Three to five years of experience with a CPG manufacturer doing Walmart account analysis, account management or category management. Two years of category advisor experience preferred. Must have superior computer skills including Microsoft Office, Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and database management tools. Expert in Walmart Retail Link. Modular development experience such as JDA and Prospace etc. required. Luminate experience a plus. Must have strong analytical skills, experience with collecting, analyzing, interrupting and integrating large amounts of data. Must have strong communication skills, both oral and written and experience managing relations both external and internal. This position will require a valid driver’s license and will require approximately 5% to 10% domestic travel.
Competencies
- Customer Focus - Aims to satisfy all customers while maintaining effective relationships, both internal and external. Maximizes those relationships to improve personal, department, and organizational performance. Holds co-workers and customers to a similar standard.
- Energy - Have a tremendous amount of energy and passion for our people, products, and brands. Approaches each date willing to take on the day’s challenges. Operating at their individual peak performance without encouragement.
- Energize - Energize teams with enthusiasm and excitement without intimidating them. Projects a positive mental attitude and can-do spirit, who lifts up members of his / her team. Does not get discouraged by setbacks.
- Edge - Have a competitive edge and an overwhelming desire to win. Hates losing and will give 100% commitment to achieving or exceeding their plan. Willing to make difficult decisions, when called upon.
- Execution - Action and performance oriented and are focused on attaining results. A team player who is reliable and follows through on tasks to completion. Attention to details.
- Increases Company Value - Strives to increase sales, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and maximize profits to increase the value of the Company.
- Innovative / Continuous Improvement - Committed to improving processes, products, services, and a willingness to embrace change for the benefit of our team, department, organization, and shareholders.
- Integrity - The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Elevating challenges in order to collaborate with co-workers, SLT, ELT, and the Board.
Language Skills
Ability to write reports, business correspondence and have the ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees or an organization.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Reasoning Ability
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Computer Skills
Microsoft Office, Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Prospace and database management tools. Expert in Walmart Retail Link.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
None Required.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
Acknowledgements
The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.