Director, Category Management in Toronto

Welcome to Lactalis Canada! We’re proud to be Canada’s #1 branded dairy company and to be consistently recognized as one of the country’s top employers by Forbes. Our purpose is to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians by offering the best of dairy from Canada’s favourite dairy brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia. In fact, our products can be found in over 90% of Canadian refrigerators at any given time. As part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, we remain focused on innovation and quality and are seeking like-minded individuals to join us as we continue our growth journey. Our flexible hybrid work model accommodates 40% remote work, adapting to the evolving needs of our workforce.

This role will lead Lactalis Canada Cheese & Tablespreads Division’s category management vision including the short- and long-term strategy and execution, across all channels. This role will collaborate with the customer, the commercial Sales team and Divisional leadership with the goal of driving industry leading category plans, balancing the customer, shopper and Lactalis Canada outcomes. The Director, Category Management will lead a team of category managers and category information managers responsible for the day-to-day execution of our assortment, pricing, shelf space and promotion optimization strategies (4Ps). The Director, Category Management will play a critical role on the Cheese & Tablespreads Division leadership team as we work towards becoming our customers' most valued dairy case partner.

Responsibilities:

• Creation and execution of short- and long-term category growth strategies, through the development of compelling fact-based and customer relevant stories.
• Recruit and retain a high-performance team of Category Management professionals that will strive to be our customers’ trusted partner in category & shopper insights.
• Responsible for hiring, reviewing performance and providing feedback, determining training and development needs, establishing goals and priorities, and providing work direction.
• Deliver impartial and objective total store and Cheese & Tablespreads category solutions for our retailer partners by providing fact-based, timely, relevant, and actionable insights.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, including market, industry and customer trends, competitive reviews, assortment analyses, pricing/promotion, and category performance reviews.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Trade Marketing and apply consumer, customer & shopper insights to identify customer & sales growth opportunities.
• Lead the delivery of the shopper insights facts & proposed actions with our customers.
• Develop and maintain select business & category scorecards for key internal & external stakeholders.
• Lead the development, allocation, and ongoing management of the customer point-of-sale / Key Account Data (POS KAD) budget on behalf of all Divisions.

Qualifications:

• University Degree or college diploma.
• 8-10 years of experience, ideally in CPG industries.
• A strong working knowledge of Nielsen and other key data sources (Key Account POS Data Systems) as well as Space Management experience.
• Strong PowerPoint and communication skills.
• Brand and/or customer experience.
• Strong people leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated, customer focused & creative thinker.
• Effective communicator including experience collaborating and influencing cross-functional teams.
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to convince and persuade others on new ideas.
• Profound understanding of category management and the use of Nielsen information in a fact-based selling application.
• Advanced analytics experience and the ability to translate data into insights and into action.
• Superior project management & presentation skills.
• A solid understanding of our categories, our overall business, the financials, SKU mix, products, the market, and the needs of each of our customers.
• Proven track record of delivering sustainable results and problem-solving.
• Able to manage multiple and competing priorities through effective organizational, people, and time management skills.
• Proficient with standard office computer technology including Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, & PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.), and space management software (Prospace/Inactix, Apollo) as well as strong administration skills.

What Lactalis Will Offer:

• A Competitive Base Salary.
• A Performance-Based Bonus System.
• 5 Weeks of Vacation.
• Benefits starting day 1.
• A Pension Program with an Employer Match at 100% of up to 6%.
• Tuition reimbursement plan of up to $3,000/year.
• A Volunteer Day to give back to your community.
• Learning and Development opportunities.
• A commitment to internal career advancement with potential for international mobility.

Our ESG Commitment:

Our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) roadmap drives our sustainability mission. We aim to positively impact communities and the planet by enabling stakeholders including our people, consumers, customers, suppliers, dairy farmers, government, and industry partners to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our communities and the planet through all that we do. At Lactalis Canada, we value our employees as catalysts for positive change. Together, we will create a sustainable future, promote belonging, and make a lasting impact on the world.

Our Commitment To DEI:

Lactalis thrives on the value each person brings. We're dedicated to amplifying diverse voices, inviting personal and professional growth, and embracing everyone's true selves. We're committed to crafting an environment that genuinely welcomes all, reflecting the richness of our people and communities. We apply an equal access to employment program and invite women, aboriginal people, visible minorities, and people with disabilities to apply. Our promise extends to accessible processes and spaces. If you require accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent), please inform our Talent Acquisition team – confidentiality will be maintained.

Compensation:

As part of our commitment to fairness, trust, and transparency and our ambition to be an Employer of Choice, the base salary range for this position is: $144,800.00–$181,000.00. Please note: Along with a comprehensive Total Rewards package, your actual base salary will be fair, competitive, and be based on your skills, experience, and qualifications.