Category Sales Development Manager

**The Opportunity**: The Category Sales Development Manager (CSD) is the Category Expert within our Customer Teams and the Sales Expert within the Marketing Team. A Category Sales Development Manager’s #1 priority is to enable our Customer Teams to sell more profitable branded volume in the categories that they cover, which will require problem solving across a variety of unique category challenges with input from multiple cross-functional teams. The Category Sales Development Manager is responsible to direct the implementation of category/brand plans including:

- Ensure Sales is armed with all the information that they require in order to properly execute the category strategy established by the Core Marketing Team
- Developing annual category trade strategies to support annual marketing plan
- Creating category stories to support the execution of the 4P (Price, Product, Place, Promotion) Trade Strategy across regions and channels
- Assessing the category and analyzing opportunities for development of the MLF Share at the category/channel level
- Assessing the category for potential evolution opportunities at the category/channel
- Ensuring clear interface between Marketing and Sales and facilitating the planning process

**Snapshot of a Day-in-the-Life**:

- Supports the Customer Team as required with customer facing meetings around category specific business planning, innovation and top to top presentations.
- Supports the Marketing teams with the achievement of the GP Target and who supports CBT with gap closing initiatives against the Kilo Targets. The CSD provides input early on to Marketing and Sales on the realities of initiatives, and is responsible for anticipating and predicting future volume and GP performance to determine if financial gaps Vs. budget exist. The CSD leads the development of Gap Closing Initiatives.
- Develops category trade plans and leads the execution of sales tactics (plays) that deliver both the Sales (CAP Plan) and Marketing OGSP plans. This requires the development of clear trade plans grounded in the 4 P’s (Pricing, Product, Placement and Promotion).
- Creates and Leads the Integrated Category Planning Process between Sales (CBT) and Marketing.
- Responsible for staying current with industry best practices and emerging best practices.
- Responsible to lead the Biannual Sales/Marketing Alignment Process (Playbook).
- Leads the development of best in-class Innovation Trade Strategy.
- Supports the Customer Sales Team (CBT) in the development of category driven product launches, working with Marketing to ensure plans are embedded within Marketing while supporting the development of the selling stories leveraging the support of Marketing, Sales and Customer Insights.

**What You’ll Bring**:

- Post-secondary degree required
- Previous Category Development, Marketing and/or Sales experience required
- 4-6 years of value add analytical experience
- Must strongly demonstrate our Maple Leaf Leadership values
- Demonstrated personal leadership skills
- A natural curiosity with demonstrated problem-solving skills
- Solid strategic thinker with good understanding of the Canadian retail landscape
- Excellent presentation skills with above average influencing and negotiating skills
- Superior Category Management Skills with demonstrated past success in prior Category Management roles
- Must have excellent knowledge of Nielsen and Cross Outlet Facts.
- Strong analytical skills and be a detail-oriented person with a propensity to learn new systems.
- Computer literacy mandatory in Excel, PowerPoint, Word
- Must be able to create and deliver outstanding category stories
- Must be driven to win in a team environment
- Excellent planning and organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to create best in class category trade strategies and to synthesize a variety of data sources (consumer, shopper, loyalty) into presentations that are easily understood.
- Must be able to provide strong, executable category recommendations that reflect the retailer and category strategy.
- Strong project and time management skills are required.
- Excellent communication skills and an ability to build relationships.
- Must be proactive and performance driven, have a bias for action and be able to work under pressure in a fast paced environment.
- Excellent English written and oral communication skills.

**What We Offer at Maple Leaf Foods**:

- Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
- An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best.
- A hybrid work model that embraces remote work for eligible roles, helping team members achieve work-life balan