PURPOSE:

The Category Merch Analyst will use financial targets and competitive data to provide business insights and recommendations to improve sales, operations, and profitability for markets and categories. Communicates analysis using comprehensive, easy-to-digest methods that will translate into impactful and actionable reports for category leadership.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides business, customer insights, and competitor intelligence to support the development of category strategies, forecasts, and performance reporting.
• Identifies and validates opportunities within a given category, market, or division using category roles, competitive pricing, frequency reports, elasticity reports, market data, and many other sources.
• Provides analytical and quantitative secondary research support to the business by accessing, verifying, and organizing market trends, competitive intelligence, and sales data using various sources such as Data Warehouse, Nielsen, and IRI syndicated data.
• Plans and executes data mining, trend analysis, and ad hoc data analysis activities, which will include a strong focus on operations and sales studies to identify alternatives to doing business to improve business practices, efficiencies, and profitability.
• Collaborates with the merchandising team to develop and implement base pricing strategies, rules, and parameters.
• Interpret trends and spot opportunities to improve sales and profitability.
• Conducts special merchandising and business-related research and cooperates with other departments to prepare analysis.
• Monitors and tracks vendor decisions, compliance, and performance. Works with vendors to identify category opportunities and track performance against category business plans and store execution opportunities.
• Reviews and analyzes processes and contributes to making them efficient to reduce costs.
• Compiles, develops, and prepares reports, graphs, and charts of findings.
• Maintains pricing/sales system information to ensure that performance reporting contains accurate information.
• Develops tools to provide forecasts and projections for sales and margin management and utilizes the tools to identify opportunities to improve margin and track margin performance to annual operating plan targets.
• Updates and reviews all key promotional pricing metrics and prepares recommendations for action as needed.
• Provides data, support, reporting, and analysis for trimester planning.
• Tracks results at the end of each promotion in terms of sales, profit and share growth or contribution.
• Maintains weekly, quarterly, and yearly scorecards to track sales, gross profit dollars, and share of each category.
• Coordinates promotional plans (ads and displays), and merchandising messages within the department as assigned by management.
• Maintains regular scorecards to track sales, gross profit dollars, expense reduction, or other projected benefits of implemented improvement initiatives.
• As an ongoing effort, will work with management and IS on automating performance metrics, audit reports, and pricing programs that currently are managed and maintained manually.
• Performs other relevant job duties as required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Education/ Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Finance, Accounting or related field.

Experience:

• 3+ years of analytical experience in category management, retail or wholesale general business, or financial analysis experience required.

Knowledge:

• SQL, VBA, and Alteryx knowledge is a plus.
• Knowledge of Nielsen and IRI data sources and their application is a plus.
• Skilled with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint.)

Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work across vast amounts of data from different data sources.
• Strong quantitative skills, with the ability to compile and analyze data.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong math and analytical skills.
• Must be systems-oriented, enjoy working with new tools, and be a self-motivated and detail-oriented learner.
• Ability to present results of analysis, data models, and other projects to management concisely and professionally.
• Good judgment is required for this position as there may be times when direct supervision may not be immediately available.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT/ DEMANDS:

• Some travel may be required.
• Incumbent may sit for long periods 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 during the normal workday.
• Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in the completion of job duties. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. UNFI is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment for all. - M/F/Veteran/Disability. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

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