Job Overview:

The Senior Director, Enterprise Assortment Architecture & Differentiation provides strategic leadership to define and scale differentiated assortment strategy across enterprise retail banners. This role exists to systematize assortment differentiation—particularly across Natural, Local, Specialty, and Owned Brands—as a core driver of growth, loyalty, and competitive advantage in an increasingly complex food retail landscape.

This is an enterprise capability and strategy role, not a line merchant position. The role establishes the frameworks, guardrails, decision standards, and innovation pathways that Category and Merchant teams execute. While this position does not directly manage categories or own day-to-day SKU decisions, it plays a critical role in shaping how assortment decisions are made, prioritized, and consistently applied at scale.

Acting as a strategic partner to Category Management, Retail and Wholesale Merchandising, and UNFI enterprise teams, this leader translates strategy into actionable assortment architecture that improves commercial outcomes, enhances the shopper experience, and strengthens supplier economics—while building long-term merchandising capability across the organization.

Job Responsibilities:

Assortment Strategy & Architecture

·       Define and evolve enterprise-wide assortment architecture frameworks, standards, and tools that enable differentiated, shopper-relevant assortments.

·       Strengthen assortment decision-making through the disciplined use of shopper data, category KPIs, supplier economics, and market/trend analytics.

·       Partner with Category Managers and Merchandising leaders to translate enterprise strategy into executable category-level architecture and priorities.

·       Ensure assortment architecture enables effective cost-of-goods negotiations and margin improvement with key suppliers.

Growth & Differentiation Initiatives

·       Systematize the introduction of Natural, Organic, Specialty, Local, and Owned Brand products through prioritized innovation pathways.

·       Strengthen speed-to-shelf for high-impact innovation launches by aligning merchandising, supplier, and enterprise partners.

·       Partner with private/owned brand teams to drive penetration, differentiation, and portfolio clarity.

·       Identify opportunities to reduce duplicative or low-velocity SKUs while protecting shopper choice and category productivity.

·       Partner with Cub Fresh Merchandising on new product ideation across Fresh categories, including seasonal flavors and on-trend offerings.

·       Collaborate with the UNFI Brands+ team to develop and execute strategies that grow Brands+ penetration and differentiate Cub’s private and owned-brand offerings.

Enterprise Collaboration & Scale

·       Collaborate with Wholesale and enterprise merchandising teams to extend and scale assortment architecture methodologies across banners and customers.

·       Serve as an internal thought leader on differentiation strategy, innovation activation, and assortment economics.

·       Align cross-functional stakeholders around shared frameworks, priorities, and measures of success.

Leadership, Coaching & Development

·       Coach and influence Category, Merchant, and enterprise teams to adopt consistent, insight-driven assortment practices.

·       Build enterprise merchandising capability by reinforcing structured decision-making, strategic thinking, and common language across teams.

Special Projects

·       Lead and support ad-hoc initiatives and strategic projects as requested by the Chief Merchandising Officer, Retail.

Key Metrics & Deliverables

·       Success in this role will be measured through outcomes across commercial performance, shopper impact, and capability adoption, including:

·       Sales and margin lift in categories where enterprise assortment architecture is deployed.

·       Percentage of categories operating under standardized assortment frameworks.

·       Reduction in duplicative or low-velocity SKUs while maintaining shopper relevance.

·       Improved speed-to-shelf for prioritized innovation launches.

·       Adoption rate and consistent use of frameworks by Category and Merchant teams.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

Education/ Certifications:

·       Bachelor’s degree in business, Merchandising, Marketing, Supply Chain, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience

·       MBA or advanced degree in a related field preferred.

Experience:

·       10+ years of progressive experience in retail merchandising, category management, assortment strategy, or product management, preferably within grocery, mass, or omnichannel retail.

·       Demonstrated experience leading assortment strategy or architecture, including SKU rationalization, innovation pipelines, and category frameworks.

·       Strong working knowledge of Natural, Organic, Specialty, Local, and/or Owned Brand assortments within food retail.

·       Proven ability to translate strategy into executable category actions that drive sales, improve shopper experience, and support vendor negotiations.

·       Experience partnering cross-functionally with merchants, category teams, suppliers, and enterprise stakeholders to deliver results.

·       Strong analytical and insight-driven mindset with the ability to leverage data, trends, and shopper insights to inform decision-making.

·       Demonstrated leadership capability, including coaching, influencing, and developing merchant and category teams without direct authority.

·       Experience working within a wholesaler-retailer model or enterprise merchandising organization (e.g., retail + wholesale environments) preferred.

·       Direct experience scaling merchandising or assortment frameworks across multiple banners, customers, or regions preferred.

·       Deep familiarity with vendor negotiation processes and how assortment decisions enable cost-of-goods and margin improvement preferred.

·       Established network or experience scouting and onboarding local and emerging brands, particularly within the Midwest or Minnesota market preferred.

·       Experience partnering with private/owned brand teams to drive penetration, differentiation, and innovation preferred

Work Environment:

Hybrid Role:

·       This position follows a hybrid schedule working in the office and at home, with frequent trips to Cub stores. The acceptable split between onsite and remote work is determined by the manager. Hybrid associates may choose to work from an office on a more frequent basis than required.

Travel:

·       This position may require the associate to travel to company offices, distribution centers, or other locations for specific meetings or other business reasons.

Physical Environment/Demands:

Office Roles:

·       Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.

·       Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at a desk or computer terminal.

·       While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  

·       Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephones, and other office equipment in the course of a normal workday.

·       Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in the completion of job duties.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work performed by the employees assigned to this job. All employees must comply with Company policy and applicable laws. The responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified may vary within each department and/or location.