Job Overview:

The Sr 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.

The Sr Category Merch Analyst will create opportunities to grow sales and enhance operational information by maintaining pricing strategy by vendor and market, and supplying analysis and information to generate opportunities. In addition, the analyst will leverage key research tools and other external data sources to quantify U.S. product trends and help build go-to-market strategies alongside the merchandising and sales teams. This role will conduct financial and pricing analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and work on special projects.

What does it mean to be part of the Merchandising Team?

Whether it’s overseeing produce, bakery/deli, meat, center store, general merchandise, health, and beauty, this team manages and drives a category for the organization. A role in category merchandising involves business planning, financial analysis, pricing, participating in the review of assortment, shelf management, advertising promotions, negotiations with suppliers, and sourcing. A 100% unique approach, proven to increase sales and profitability. It’s having the right assortment of products, based on your customers’ demographics and lifestyle. Solid category strategies. Better customer satisfaction. More efficiency. 

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 a variety of 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 for doing business to improve business practices, efficiencies, and profitability.

• Collaborates with merchandising team to develop and implement base pricing strategies, rules, and parameters.

• Interpret trends and spot opportunities to improve sales and profitability.

• 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 are currently managed and maintained manually.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

Education/ Certifications:

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

Experience:

• 5+ years of analytical experience in category management, retail or wholesale industry or financial analysis experience required

• 8+ years of business experience (with at least 5 years of analytical experience)

Knowledge:

• SQL, VBA, Alteryx knowledge

• Knowledge of Nielsen and IRI data sources and their application

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint)

 Skills/Abilities:

•  Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and provide guidance to other analysts.

• Excellent financial research and analysis skills gained from academic background or equivalent work experience.

• Completes highly complex analysis identifying trends, patterns, issues, and opportunities.

• 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 in a concise and professional manner.

• Good judgment is required for this position as there may be times when direct supervision may not be immediately available.

Work Environment:

Remote Role:

• This position is classified as remote, where the associate will perform remote work from their primary residence. Remote associates are welcome to work from the office but are not required to do so. While remote associates are not required to work from an office regularly, they may be required to come to the office or other UNFI locations for necessary business reasons or if directed to do so by their manager.

Travel (minor):

• 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:

• 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.

About UNFI: We are North America’s premier grocery wholesaler, delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to community grocers and retail chains alike. A pioneer in natural and organic foods, we are growing and transforming to meet the needs of an evolving workplace. Our 29,000+ employees work across America in our 50 Distribution Centers and corporate offices. Learn more: Organic, Natural and Conventional Food | Wholesale Food Distributors | UNFI

Benefits: Competitive 401k, Flexible PTO or Competitive PTO plan, Remote or Hybrid, Health benefits – first of the month following 30 days of employment, mileage reimbursement, cell phone, LTI, mentorship program/developmental opportunities, etc.

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