Job Title

145 Otonabee Dr, Kitchener, ON N2C 1L7, CanadaJob DescriptionPosted Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 4:00 AM | Expired Friday, September 27, 2024 at 3:59 AMAt Flanagan Foodservice, we're more than just the biggest family-owned food distributor in Canada; we're a dynamic hub of innovation, creativity, and a shared passion for delivering exceptional service. For nearly 50 years, we've been on an exciting journey of growth and transformation. The foodservice landscape is thrilling and challenging, and as we reshape our business, we're on the hunt for imaginative minds, business strategists, and food lovers. Are you prepared to be part of the legacy?A Culture of Innovation and Creativity: We value fresh ideas and perspectives, innovation and collaboration, where employees can thrive and make meaningful impact. If you're passionate about making a difference, you'll fit right in.Family Values and Professional Opportunities: Experience the integrity of a family-owned business combined with the exciting growth opportunities of a leading industry player who is scaling up quickly with technology.Outstanding Employee Benefits: From profit-sharing, pension programs and comprehensive health benefits, we invest in your well-being. We celebrate and reward your achievements.Personal and Professional Growth: We champion your growth with a wide range of career advancement opportunities tailored to your strengths and aspirations. There is no better pairing than a foodie with an awesome career in the foodservice industry!We are currently hiring for a Vice President of Category Management in Kitchener. If youre highly motivated and are ready for an exciting career that will shape the future of the foodservice industry, we want to hear from you.Position Summary:The Vice President of Category Management will work closely with enterprise cross-functional leaders and function leads to develop strategic plans that support business objectives including budget commitments, risk management, category revenue and growth, while supporting Flanagans Sales & Marketing strategies and plans that support gaining market share. This critical leadership role will translate vision into plans for the category management discipline and guides their execution by overseeing vendor negotiations and management; strategic category development; and the development, implementation and continuous improvement of pricing, processes and practices, to ensure profitable and efficient strategic activities.Key Responsibilities:Leads category management team, establishing and communicating vision and strategic direction of the category management function.Provides coaching and direction to enable delivery of performance targets and team development.Creates a working environment that encourages high performance and innovation.Removes roadblocks to enable the delivery of goals.Champions the Flanagan culture by being strongly committed to the companys Vision, Mission, and Values.Responsible for the engagement and effectiveness of the category team and the development of the team consistent with business strategy through succession and talent planning.Strategic Category ManagementDevelop overall go to market strategy including assortment, innovation, pricing, and private label.Set and monitor category development and profitable growth objectives, pivoting when required to ensure successful outcomes.Work with the Director of Category Management to develop detailed annual plans with building blocks to achieve development and profit objectives for each category.Successfully deliver budget targets through careful monitoring, performance management and contingency planning.Ability to develop and understand data analytics to mine data to drive in depth analysis of customer and consumer trends.Promote and enhance the relevance of categories within a constantly evolving world of brand choices; revive mature and declining categories, accelerate penetration and consumption of new and emerging categories.Serve as the category expert to support Sales team with selling ideas and new business opportunities.Work closely with Marketing to develop programs, tools/resources for the Sales team as well as all customer communication.Business InfluenceDevelops and maintains strong relationships across the enterprise and externally with suppliers/vendors.Creates a unified team environment and team goals and ensures the preferred supplier program enables business and customer priorities.Drives for results by consistently achieving goals in a timely manner.Develops and delivers communications with clarity and impact, ensuring consistent messaging at multiple levels.Leads a team that reinforces and maintains standards and processes.Encourages creation, brings new best in class ideas, and approaches to the table for developing and executing category strategies and working within the foodservice market to ensure Flanagan Foodservice meets or exceeds their objectives.Change ManagementDevelops change management capability within the team.Develop tools and templates to ensure robust category and communication planning and delivery to drive revenue and programs.Ensures ongoing communication across multiple channels to provide appropriate visibility to category management resources and accomplishments that drive business value.Oversee all vendor negotiations including preferred vendor programs, pricing, revenue programs, marketing support, innovation, performance commitments, contract details, RFPs, private label sourcing.Lead relationship with strategic partners including Flanagan subsidiary and affiliated companies, specialty suppliers, GPOs, industry associations.Work with Marketing to develop and initiate the Vendor/Category Marketing Plan as they relate to the overall company marketing plan.Oversee development and implementation of food shows, sales meetings, promotions, and involvement in other vendor and industry events.Manage product import and quotas (in conjunction with I.T.) customs and brokerage (in conjunction with Finance).Accountable for development, ongoing maintenance, and vendor compliance of Flanagan supplier policies.Ensure regular category reviews and business reviews with vendors.Process owner for Master Product File and all key data requirements, ensuring data accuracy, and updates of internal product information including GS1/ECCnet.Qualifications:University degree (or college diploma equivalent) in business or equivalent experience.At least 15 years of proven progressive experience in all aspects of category management, vendor/supplier negotiation.Strong interpersonal and analytical skills.Industry knowledge and experience working in the foodservice sector.A demonstrated successful track record of achieving results including revenues, gross margin, net profit, positive vendor relations with a focus on customer satisfaction.Proven knowledge on product trends and ability to leverage insights.Influences decisions regarding key vendor relationships, especially those involved in our Preferred Vendor Programs and those impacting key areas of category development.Strong analytical abilities and negotiation skills.Ability to make positive change with employees, vendors and customers by taking a collaborative approach.Proven success defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts, analyzing data, drawing valid conclusions, recommending courses of action, and making sound decisions, based on calculated risks and defined ROI criteria.Recognized ability to build strong relationships and alliances and work well cross functionally by engaging all areas of the business.Proven ability to delegate, negotiate and effectively build confidence within the team with a focus to build trust among each other.Expertise planning, designing, and implementing multiple projects/tasks within budget and on schedule.Demonstrated ability to develop others by setting practical visions and suitable targets that are measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.Demonstrates integrity and a positive attitude with the ability to inspire and encourage creativity and innovation.Active listening skills with ability to make genuine connections in and outside the organization.Class G Drivers license and use of a personal vehicle for work related travel.Strong work ethic and ability to continuously improve core processes and drive needed change.Demonstrated success meeting or exceeding customer expectations.Independently makes a variety of significant decisions, which impact business success and organizational effectiveness.Be part of the legacy.All employees of Flanagan Foodservice must demonstrate adherence to all HACCP and Food Handling practices as well as all Companys policies and procedures.Flanagan Foodservice Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and has an accommodation process in place to provide accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If you require a specific accommodation because of a disability or a medical need, please let us know by submitting your request to so that arrangements can be made for the appropriate accommodations. #J-18808-Ljbffr