Manager, Growth Solutions

• Health/Rx
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Paid sick time
• Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
• Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
• Holiday pay for company designated holidays

At KeHE, we’re obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others – and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we’re committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you’ll be embarking on a career that’s moving forward. When you join KeHE, you’re becoming part of a team that is a force for good.

The Growth Solutions Manager acts as a subject matter expert in market dynamics affecting the industry. By leveraging analytics and marketplace knowledge, this role is responsible for helping KeHE’s strategic customers increase sales and trade area relevance through improvements in assortment and merchandising. As with all positions at KeHE, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision and Values.

• Identify product trends across channels by analyzing:
• Category, attribute and marketplace trends
• Consumer behavior shifts and shopper purchase patterns
• Market visits, trade shows, industry events
• Curate consumer, demographic, syndicated and internal data to create optimum, innovative, and actionable assortment and merchandising solutions.
• Effectively present best in class presentations to retailer buyers and merchandising teams showcasing category insights, trends, new items, and merchandising concepts.
• Translate data into actionable and fact-based insights to create turnkey, influential solutions for KeHE’s sales teams and retailer partners.
• Establish and maintain relationships with key decision makers with our retailer partners based on trust, marketplace knowledge, and results.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Category Management, Sales and Sales Enablement teams.
• Develop ROI reporting by analyzing implementation rates at retail, product success rates and sales growth for our retail customers.
• Support training and development of Growth Solutions team members.
• Maintain safeguards of confidential company information.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge in market dynamics, industry shifts and retailer landscapes is mandatory.
• Experience in retail, brand or product merchandising and assortment analysis preferred.
• Ability to create compelling presentations that translates facts, data and insights into impactful stories that drive business growth and shopper loyalty for KeHE and our retailers.
• Ability to effectively manage a wide variety of projects simultaneously and often with time-conflicting pressures.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced business environment.
• Natural, specialty and/or fresh product knowledge with ability to recognize brands and trends.
• Project management, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated thought leadership and creativity skills.
• Strong understanding of merchandising tactics and strategies.
• Demonstrated strength in oral and written communication skills.
• Willingness to take initiative on projects with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with MS Office, primarily Excel and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with SPINS, IRI, CSIA, ShopperSights, Mintel software.
• Experience with visualization tools, such as PowerBI, a plus.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• 4-year bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study.
• Minimum of three years prior experience in food industry analytics (retailer, supplier, distributor or data provider).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.