Grocery Category Manager

About Misfits Market:

Misfits Market is a mission-driven, high-growth startup dedicated to reducing food waste and making shopping for sustainable, high-quality groceries easier and more affordable. We deliver organic produce, high-quality meats and seafood, plant-based proteins, dairy, bakery, wine, and other grocery items to nearly every zip code in 48 states at up to 30 percent off traditional grocery store prices. In 2022, Misfits Market acquired sustainable e-grocer Imperfect Foods and now leverages its in-house transportation network to deliver directly to consumers with one of the most carbon-efficient grocery delivery models on the market. By tackling inefficiencies in the food system, our passionate and motivated team of problem solvers helps save an average of 500,000 pounds of food per week from waste or lesser outcomes, with an all-time savings of 190+ million pounds of food.

As Misfits we support our customers and mission by embracing our core values of:

Prioritizing our Customers                             

Doing more with less

Thinking Differently         

Respecting one another                            

Moving deliberately and quickly                   

Taking initiative and delivering 

About The Team:

The Misfits Market Merchandising Team is responsible for managing our incredible vendor relationships to source, secure, and sell great tasting products across a growing range of retail categories. Working closely with our vendor/manufacturing partners, the Procurement Team leads the charge at Misfits Market in fighting food waste not only at the farm level but with consumer packaged goods as well. 

About The Role:

We are looking to hire a passionate food professional to join our Category Management team at Misfits Market as a Category Manager for our Non-Produce department. The Non-Produce Category Manager is a key role that focuses on leading the category strategy for the assigned non-produce categories while supporting the Non-Produce Category Management team in achieving departmental OKRs. In this role, the Non-Produce Category Manager will oversee several key areas, such as curating assortments, managing vendor relationships and cost negotiations, and ensuring item quality and specifications. Additionally, they will be responsible for retail market pricing and developing attribute-based and mission-driven storytelling, among other duties.

The Non-Produce Category Manager will report directly to the Sr. Director of Category Management and will work closely with the Buying and Inventory Planning teams as well as with Site Merchandising and Marketing teams to ensure that category strategies are effectively implemented and aligned with company goals.

Who You Are:

• Passionate about a sustainable future for our food system
• Outgoing, extrovert and a “go-getter”
• A fast learner with the ability to multitask and thrive under pressure
• Adaptable and solutions focused
• A team player above all

Responsibilities:

• Category Strategy & Assortment: Develop, curate and execute category strategies to align with company goals, optimizing product offerings across assigned categories.
• P&L Management - Own the category P&L and negotiate to hit revenue, profit, SKU productivity, quality, and food waste saving goals
• Vendor Management: Support vendor relationships, focusing on driving competitive pricing, product quality, and timely delivery. Assist in negotiations and process improvements.
• Market Insights: Conduct research to identify trends, competitor strategies, and consumer preferences, providing actionable insights to guide category decisions.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work with Inventory Planning, Operations, Logistics, Marketing, Product Development, and IT to execute category strategies and ensure alignment across teams.
• Sustainability: Support sustainability initiatives within the category, focusing on reducing food waste and identifying areas for improvement.
• Project Support: Assist in key projects related to category growth and process improvements, ensuring effective execution with cross-functional teams.
• Product Development: Collaborate with product development teams to identify new product opportunities based on customer demands and market trends.
• Reporting & Support: Report directly to the Sr. Director of Category Management, supporting the execution of strategic goals and key initiatives.

Travel - Travel <25% required to attend Trade shows and team offsites

Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional industry experience required
• 5-7 years grocery retail or Grocery sourcing experience preferred 
• Ecommerce or organic/natural food experience is a plus 
• Buying experience and strong negotiating skills
• Long term strategic and financial planning skills with a solid understanding of P/L statements, general ledgers, and margins
• Strong working knowledge of the food industry with established relationships
• Adaptable to a startup environment. Willing to learn new programs and systems
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively across multiple teams
• Fast on your feet and quick to make thoughtful decisions
• Proficiency with G-Suit, Excel, Word and Retail Math required

Details of Position & Benefits:

• Annual Salary $85k - $100k
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) 
• Annual Misfits grocery box credit of $1200 paid in weekly installments
• Life insurance
• Paid vacation time
• Paid holidays 
• Paid sick days
• Commuter benefits

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