JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

•Management of wine and spirits categories across the USA (approximately $300MM in Revenue and $75MM in GP). 

•Roll out spirits in new license accounts – as licenses are added. Management of legal and licensing relationshipto execute
• Schematic development for wine in 6,500 stores/Schematic development for spirits in over 900 stores

• Manages, improves and recommends the product assortment for the stores on a
national basis for assigned category.
• Develops annual category plans which include current situation analysis, vision/strategy, and specific category plans.
• Plans include assortment and positioning, product improvements and development plans, projected revenues and gross profit, display, price, promotion
and communication to stores.
• Drill plans down into seasonal calendars, monthly implementation plans and recurring assortment change calendars.
• Performs monthly analysis and verification of plans.
• Provides explanations for variances in budgeted sales and gross profit and provides projection for upcoming months.
• Develops an in-depth understanding of the key strategic initiatives and policies of
merchandising and ensures assigned category strategies are within Merchandising and Corporate strategy and policy.
• Develops pricing strategy for assigned categories.
• Develops recommended retail pricing guidelines (which are subject to executive
committee approval) for the stores to optimize category profitability and establishes suggested retail prices within these guidelines.
• Reviews competitor pricing information gathered by Zone Merchandising Leaders, Merchandisers and pricing group and recommends pricing.
• Approves pricing recommendations made by Associate Category Manager.
• Develops cost/benefit analysis to determine return on advertising and promotional dollars. Vendor or Supplier Relationships / Supply Chain Management.
• Identifies leverage opportunities with vendors and negotiates contracts (working with Procurement), supply agreements and/or programs to achieve the lowest possible acquisition costs (cost of goods) for products selected for the categories on an ongoing basis.
• Identifies new suppliers to distribute products through CDC and works with Logistics and Procurement in negotiating quality expectations, reduced product costs, etc with supplier at the senior management level.
• Works with suppliers and/or other SEI managers to stabilize product supply through forecasting of key products and working with Logistics to solve issues.
• Reviews and works with Logistics group and manufacturers to resolve out-of-stock issues.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with representatives and senior management of national suppliers.
• Meets with national vendors on a regular basis to discuss new product development and ways to lower costs.
• Works with Logistics and Senior Management of key suppliers to ensure that we are meeting our goals with regard to Business Transformation and other Logistics model priorities for 7-Eleven (this includes strategic initiatives based on the product(s)' current method of distribution and potential recommended changes.) Assortment / Display management (including POP / Customer messaging).
• Owns the strategic Product Assortment direction and guidelines for assigned categories.
• Guides Category Manager, Associate Category Managers and Merchandisers in the development of the schematics.
 • Manages the implementation of field tests for new products and categories.
• Oversees verification of tests performed by Merchandisers and determines next course of action based upon verification results.
• Reviews solicitations from potential suppliers to determine if potential product is viable for 7-Eleven.
• Conduit for communication.
• As lead for the assigned categories, owns communication of key strategic initiatives across Merchandising Senior leadership Zone Leaders and other key leadership positions.
• Manages day to day communication of key messaging to assigned categories across Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, Logistics and other related groups.