Director Category Management

About the role

The Director of Category Management will lead the transformation of category management into a strategic growth engine for the organization and its customers. This role owns the development and delivery of best-in-class category insights, shelving strategies, and customer engagement models that drive mutually beneficial growth.

This leader will elevate how the organization leverages data, shopper insights, and category expertise to influence decisions, strengthen customer partnerships, and secure Category Captain, Advisor, or Validator roles across key accounts. Success in this role requires combining analytical rigor with compelling storytelling and strong cross-functional leadership.

The Director will build, develop, and lead a high-performing team of Category Managers and Analysts, setting the standard for insight quality, execution excellence, and customer impact.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Category Captainships, Advisor, and Validator Relationships

• Own and expand Category Captain, Advisor, and Validator roles across priority customers, positioning the company as a trusted category authority.
• Develop customer-specific category strategies grounded in shopper, consumer, and market insights.
• Lead joint business planning inputs through category perspectives that shape assortment, shelving, pricing, and promotion decisions.
• Establish governance and best practices for engagement, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery across all customer interactions.
• Partner with Sales to proactively identify opportunities to deepen influence and unlock incremental category growth.

Execute Gold Standard Plan-O-Grams

• Define and institutionalize "Gold Standard" planogram principles that balance shopper needs, category growth, and brand performance.
• Lead the development and deployment of data-driven shelving solutions using best-in-class space management tools.
• Ensure planograms are insight-led, customer-relevant, and aligned with strategic growth priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement through test-and-learn approaches and post-implementation performance tracking.
• Partner with Sales and customers to ensure execution compliance and maximize in-store impact.

Category and Customer Thought Leadership

• Serve as the voice of the category internally and externally, translating data into actionable, forward-looking insights.
• Develop compelling, insight-led narratives that influence customer decision-making and strengthen credibility.
• Identify emerging category, consumer, and shopper trends to shape strategic recommendations.
• Elevate the organization's category management capabilities through tools, frameworks, and best practices.
• Represent the company in key customer meetings, industry forums, and strategic discussions as a category expert.

Analytics & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead the synthesis of syndicated, shopper, and customer data into clear, actionable insights.
• Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, RGM, and Insights to align on category strategies and priorities.
• Build scalable reporting and analytics frameworks that improve speed, consistency, and impact.
• Ensure insights translate into measurable actions that drive category and business performance.
• Develop team capabilities in advanced analytics, storytelling, and business acumen.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in CPG Analytics, Category Management, Shopper Insights, or Sales.
• 5+ years of experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Proven experience serving as a Category Captain, Advisor, or Validator with key customers.
• Deep expertise in syndicated data (Nielsen/IRI), space management tools (e.g., ProSpace), and customer data platforms (e.g., Scintilla, 84.51).
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills with the ability to translate data into insights and actions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functionally and externally without direct authority.
• Master's degree (MBA or related field) preferred.
• Experience in snacks, meat snacks, beverages, or other high-velocity CPG categories preferred.

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is $175,000 - $190,000 (Annually). Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link's Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link's provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

Link Snacks Core Values

Company values: Be Real, Speed Matters, Stewardship, Relationship Driven, Self-Discipline, and Show Awesome Character.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job the Team Member is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear.
• The Team Member is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms.
• The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or more up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Work Environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
• The work environment is a plant/office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels.
• Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors.
• However, the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled office.
• Travel may be required.