Category Manager

Bashas'

Title:

Category Manager

Date:

04/14/2026

Job ID:

14632

Relocation:

No

Degree:

B.S./B.A.

Salary:

Job Types:

Category Manager

Employment Type:

Location:

Chandler, AZ Job Description Company Overview Bashas' is a family-owned, regional grocer that operates in Arizona, New Mexico and serves four Tribal Nations under five well-known brands including Bashas', Food City, AJ's Fine Foods, Eddie's Country Store, and Bashas' Diné supermarkets. Founded in 1932, Bashas' has a rich history of serving Arizona families with quality products and great customer service. With more than 110 grocery stores, Bashas' is one of the largest employers in the state and we aremitted to nourishing themunities we serve through purposeful partnerships and giving centered around our vision and purpose of changing the way we eat one plate at a time. d values led Bashas' to join The Raley's Companies?in 2021 and the partnership has enhanced our core business through technological advancements, d learning, leadership development and new offerings. With more than 21,000 team members, we are united by a higher purpose: to deliver quality offerings, exceptional service, and to do right by our people,munities, and planet. Whether through ourmitment to nutrition and wellness or Bashas' legacy of giving back over $100 million to localmunities, we strive to empower customers with transparency, education, and access to fresh, affordable, and nourishing food. We're looking for the same kind of passionate people to join our team, grow with us and our?purpose.?? Position Overview Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for building winning product assortments, driving sales performance, and shaping a best?in?class customer experience? As a Category Manager, you'll own the vision, performance, and innovation strategy for your assigned categories — ensuring the right products, at the right cost, reach our customers every day. In this role, you'll lead category planning, cost negotiations, promotional strategy, supplier relationships, and product innovation. You'll work cross?functionally with merchandising, procurement, store operations, and global sourcing partners to drive margin growth, market gains, and customer satisfaction. If you're analytical, growth?minded, and energized by balancing both strategy and execution, we'd love to meet you. What You'll Do

Category Strategy & Business Performance:

Develop and execute annual category plans to support sales, profit, and margin goals. Build and optimize product assortment strategies, including the integration of global brands across store clusters. pricing strategies, cost drivers, and elasticity insights to deliver strong category performance. Evaluate category results and lead continuous improvement efforts to reduce costs in goods, supplies, and equipment. Conduct deep analysis of category performance to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities; implement adjustments that increase sales and profitability. Monitor and scorecard supplier performance based on price, quality, assortment, and service. Assesspetitive retailers and market trends to identify threats and opportunities.

Promotions, Merchandising & Product Innovation:

Develop and execute promotional plans that elevate category performance and support brand differentiation. Monitor promotion effectiveness and refine plans to maximize ROI. Participate in store layout and design conversations for new and remodeled locations, offering category expertise. Conduct seasonal buying trips and contribute to product R D to advance innovation and transformation within assigned categories. Partner with international agents to identify global sourcing and pricing opportunities. Build strategies for seasonal and one?time buys, including sell?through and markdown planning. Guide marketing and merchandising teams to ensure successful new?product launches and best?in?class category offerings.

Supplier Leadership & Negotiation:

Build and maintain collaborative supplier relationships that drive better costs, greater value, and stronger product offerings. Leverage cost?of?goods insights and negotiation expertise to secure the best procurement costs. Partner with Procurement Analysts to ensure consistent product availability and service levels. Achieve promotional funding goals and secure additional funds to support margin and loyalty initiatives. Support contract negotiations to align supplier agreements with budget expectations and business objectives.

Leadership & Team Development:

Provide leadership that reflects ourpany values and inspires high performance within the merchandising team. Interview, select, evaluate, and recognize team members based on business needs and performance contributions. Collaborate with cross?functional leaders on category initiatives and business priorities. What You Bring Education & Experience Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field. 5+ years of retail grocery category management experience, or an equivalentbination of education and experience. Knowledge & Expertise Strong understanding of buying, merchandising, and retail operations. Knowledge of the grocery retail industry and its impact on category strategy. Experience with forecasting and demand planning methodologies. Skills & Strengths Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office and sales/merchandising systems. Strong financial acumen, analytical capability, and negotiation expertise. Ability to create category strategies and set functional direction. Understanding of manufacturing processes affecting cost and quality. Knowledge of international sourcing, distribution, and planning processes. Strong influencing skills and the ability to navigateplex issues with senior leaders. Ability to respond effectively to new priorities, challenges, and obstacles. Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire teams.