Category Lead - US - Modern Milkman

Role title: Category Lead – US  

Team: Category   

Location: Boston/Hybrid - this person will need to be comfortable visiting suppliers in New England, mix of MA, CT and RI.  

Salary:  $60-80k plus stock options and other benefits  

Join our milk round  

We’re a UK-founded business that has recently expanded into the United States! Our team spans tech, operations, and more, working in small, close-knit groups driven by shared values and big ambitions. You can read about us more here: https://www.modernmilkman.com/

Your mission  

This is our first ever Category lead in the US. You will play a critical role as we scale across the United States. You will work directly with the US country manager, alongside the Group CEO and COO to drive growth predominately within the US market. 

This role requires a strategic & analytical thinker who can adapt quickly in driving product assortment, pricing, and promotional strategies to optimise sales and profitability. You will collaborate with stakeholders across the business to ensure a cohesive approach to category management, development and procurement. 

We know this is often used as a cliche but no two days will be the same in this role. You could be tasting samples, visiting suppliers, speaking to our operations team and briefing them on a new product launching or working on trading mechanics.  

Key Responsibilities  

Procurement / Buying Strategy and Management:  

• Develop and implement strategies to achieve cost efficiencies and secure favorable terms from suppliers.  

• Manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and ensure timely delivery of products for launch.  

Category and Range Strategy:  

• Create and execute regional category and range strategies to drive sales and profitability within each area we serve.  

• Analyse local market trends and customer data to optimise category ranges and pricing.  

• Work with marketing to understand what our customers want from our range. 

Promotions and Pricing:  

•  Develop and manage promotional calendars and pricing strategies.  

• Analyse the effectiveness of promotions and adjust strategies to enhance performance.  

Inventory Management:  

• Work with supply chain teams to maintain optimal inventory levels and manage demand forecasting.  

• Work with the operational teams to implement strategies to minimise stockouts, overstock, and waste.  

Cross-Functional Collaboration:  

• Coordinate with other departments to align category and procurement activities with overall business objectives.  

Sustainability and Compliance:  

• Ensure procurement practices align with the company's sustainability goals and industry regulations.  

Data Analysis and Reporting:  

• Utilise data analytics to track performance, generate insights, and inform strategic decisions.  

• Prepare reports and presentations for senior management on category and procurement performance. 

What You’ll Bring  

• Food related degree or relevant experience gained from working in a procurement/buying role, within food & beverage, hospitality or FMCG. Scale up and start up environments preferred 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization. 

• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 

• Strong negotiation, communication, organization, and project management skills 

• Understanding of retail and ecommerce fresh food safety requirements 

• Analytically-minded with strong proficiency of Excel / Google Sheet 

• Highly collaborative with experience working with cross-functional teams 

• Flexible and solution oriented, able to react quickly to ever changing market conditions 

• A motivated, positive, proactive and transparent attitude 

• Passion for food, with an understanding of market trends and customer preferences. 

• There will be some travel as part of this role, so holding a valid driving license will be essential