Career Opportunities: Associate Merchandising Manager, C-store COT (123437)

Job Location: Hershey, PA
Hershey, PA preferred; remote considered
 

Summary:
The Associate Merchandising Manager – C-store COT, is a pivotal member of the HSY Sales team with important responsibilities impacting the P&L of our C-store retailers.  Below is a list of deliverables for the role:

• Develop, create, and manage C-store COT-specific merchandising solutions for AMP and beyond that drive secondary display locations and revenue/share gains while minimizing internal complexity and cost. 

• Ensure profitability of all creations through PTVCM tracking and management 

• Identify Innovation, National, Promotional and Seasonal secondary merchandising needs and opportunities within C-store customers and work with appropriate internal teams to develop insight-based strategies and solutions.

• Oversee the organizational merch strategy for Innovation items for all COT by attending Innovation meetings and providing Marketing with Sales perspective and feedback.  Note, that the role is not responsible for the creation of custom Innovation vehicles for COT other than C-store but will work as liaisons between Merch COE and Marketing.

• Play an active role in the customer planning process to identify merchandising needs and holistic solutions that satisfy customer opportunities and meet internal hurdles and timelines.

• Provide valuable insights to Marketing partners helping to shape and develop successful innovation launches and consumer promotions

• Remain connected to the Retail environment and actively participate in key customer appointments as needed to understand customer needs or present merchandising solutions.

• Provide and maintain visibility across the organization so that Merchandising BDPs and solutions are shared as appropriate and unnecessary customization and complexity are avoided.

• Preferred location for this role is Hershey.  Remote work with occasional travel into Hershey will be considered.

Key Business Partners include:  Marketing, Customer Teams, Category Management, CSI, Supply Chain, Packaging, Finance, R&D and external agencies / suppliers such as Menasha, West Rock, MAP, TPN, etc.

Responsibilities:

COT Specific Merchandising
• Own the creation and management of C-store specific merchandising solutions including business case development and Accolade management. Specific focus on core packs, strategic brands and anchor events.

• Develop, maintain, and leverage key cross-functional relationships in Sales, Shopper Engagement, Marketing, Category Management, Operations, Packaging, Finance, Research and external partners to ensure merchandising solutions are best suited to the goals of driving effective activation, revenue and profit.

• Maintain close connectivity with the Retail and Sales team to fully understand the in-store environment, recognize executional issues, and identify new opportunities. 

• Present new merchandising solutions to customer KDMs as needed.

Merch P&L Optimization:
• Engage in special project work as needed to improve profitability, retail performance, and/or shopper stopping power of national merchandise
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Packaging, Finance and other departments for alternative solutions to improve margin across a myriad of merch options

Business and Financial Management:
• Understand and analyze factory ship information as well as syndicated and shopper data from Customers to identify merchandising opportunities and make fact-based strategic recommendations.  Primary focus on core packs and Brands.

• Actively manage customers’ merchandising portfolio to increase display performance and maximize revenue and profits while minimizing cost and complexity to the organization.  Evaluate vehicles as needed for rationalization.   

Sales Connectivity:

• Remain actively involved with Customer Team planning to identify future merchandising needs on core packs and anchor events within company processes and lead times.

• Maintain connectivity to other Customer Merchandising Managers to share best practices and prevent duplication in custom vehicle development.

Qualifications
•Education: Bachelor’s degree required.
Experience: 5+ years’ experience in Sales, CatMan, Portfolio and/or Marketing
Customer / channel experience preferred; Retail experience recommended

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The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans

If you require a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact the HR Service Center (askhr@hersheys.com).