Our mission is to make everyday eating extraordinary for our guests. We create a warm, welcoming, memorable experience with exceptional, personal service. We’re looking for a new team member who strives for excellence and brings positive energy, commitment, and a “can-do” attitude to work every day. We value teamwork and celebrate our successes as a team and will value your contribution!

Added Benefits for choosing The Fresh Market Team:

The Category Manager, Bakery is responsible for category strategy, assortment planning, promotional planning, program development, and supplier partnerships for specific categories. This role is accountable for the financial performance of assigned categories through the development of financial targets, category strategy and assortment planning. The Category Manager is also responsible for promotional planning and competitive price reaction to stay relevant in the market and grow brand recognition. In addition, the Category Manager supports and positively influences The Fresh Market Own Brand initiatives as they relate to product mix, vendor relationships and innovation needs. This position requires advanced understanding of category management concepts, practices and procedures while working within and ever-changing environment. This positions is located within our Store Support Center (099) located in Greensboro, NC. 

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• Develop and execute category management strategies and programs, based on customer preferences, to deliver financial goals and business objectives
• Manages a portfolio of different items, brands, and suppliers developing appropriate promotional strategies for each
• Conducts market analysis to develop category strategies, define category roles, and achieve strategy objectives for each category managed
• React quickly and decisively to business opportunities to achieve and consistently maintain positive sales growth and increased margin
• Partners with FP&A on development of financial plans by providing regular and timely input
• Effectively manage product availability and identify risks in assortment
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with vendors
• Select items; negotiate best costs and delivery of product
• Clearly communicate to vendor partners the guidelines required by The Fresh Market for quality and standards
• Identify business opportunities and risks through analyzing sales performance and gathering market information; Implement strategies to ensure plans are achieved
• Partner with FP&A on monthly sales planning process to actively manage business and maximize opportunities
• Coordinate monthly marketing strategies and in store merchandising in partnership with cross-functional partners
• Perform consistent category reviews and make additions/deletions based on analysis
• Comp shop competitors and use information to positively impact business
• Travel to all necessary trade shows and identify product opportunities
• Build a high-quality merchandising team by developing partnerships, leading, coaching and providing constructive feedback

At a minimum, you will need:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
• 4-7 years of Category Management or related experience
• Possesses strong merchandising, product and marketing skills
• Strong ability to identify global issues and communicate within the organization
• Demonstrate strong analytical, negotiating and problem-solving skills
• Ability develop/maintain strong working relationship with peers and cross-functional teams
• Demonstrates leadership and decision-making skills
• Demonstrates strong listening, written and oral communication skills
• Willing and able to travel for trade shows and store trips
• Flexible and adaptive to changing priorities
• Able to organize and prioritize workload to meet deadline
• Takes calculated risks to achieve results
• Develops creative solutions to business issues
• Identifies emerging trends and shops competition and market regularly
• Demonstrated skills with MS Office applications

It's a bonus if you bring:

• Experience managing distribution vendors
• Demonstrated experience utilizing Nielsen and/or IRI
• Experience with MicroStrategy
• Project Management skills

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: Consistent with applicable laws, TFM will make reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and team members, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to TFM. This guiding principle applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring and job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

At The Fresh Market, we have a COVID-19 vaccination policy that requires all Store Support Center Team Members to be fully vaccinated absent an approved religious or medical accommodation by the company.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and related medical conditions, national origin, genetic information, uniformed service, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.

The statements in this job description are provided to describe the general nature and level of work expected in this role. While these statements include the essential functions of the job, they are not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. As we work as a team, there may be times team members are needed to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities based on business needs.