Manager Category Leadership Kroger
Location: (Remote)
Career Level S50
Why Hershey
At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands. With a strong portfolio across chocolate, confectionery, and salty snacks, Hershey delights consumers every day. Our beloved brands include Hershey’s, Reese’s, KitKat®, Dots Pretzels, Lesser Evil, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and more.
At Hershey, we are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities where we live, work, and do business. This commitment originated with our founder, Milton Hershey, and continues to shape who we are today.
Guided by our employee value proposition, Lead Today. Create Tomorrow, we empower our people to drive impact now while shaping what comes next. Our One Hershey mindset brings teams together across functions, geographies, and businesses, enabling us to operate with speed, collaboration, and shared purpose.
The Hershey Company is proud to be recognized as a top employer in the United States, reflecting our commitment to our people, culture, and purpose.
How will you fit in the big picture?
The Category Manager, Digital Advisor serves as a strategic category management leader and trusted advisor to both internal stakeholders and Kroger partners. This role is responsible for developing and implementing digital and omnichannel category strategies that drive category growth, improve the shopper experience, and support both Hershey and Kroger business objectives.
The position leverages customer, shopper, and marketplace insights to identify growth opportunities, optimize category performance, and influence digital category strategy. By combining category management expertise with advanced analytics, shopper insights, and omnichannel thinking, this role helps create integrated physical and digital shopping experiences while strengthening Hershey's leadership position with Kroger.
What will you do?
Category Strategy & Growth Planning
- Develop and implement digital and omnichannel category strategies that support sales growth and category performance.
- Identify marketplace opportunities, emerging trends, and shopper needs that drive category growth.
- Partner with Kroger and internal teams to align category strategies with business objectives.
- Establish Hershey as a trusted category advisor and thought leader within the digital commerce space.
Shopper Insights & Analytics
- Utilize syndicated data, shopper insights, retailer data, and advanced analytics to identify opportunities and inform recommendations.
- Analyze customer and shopper behavior to support category planning and promotional strategies.
- Translate data and insights into actionable business recommendations.
- Monitor category performance and recommend actions to optimize results.
Digital & Omnichannel Category Leadership
- Partner with Kroger Digital teams to improve online category performance and shopper engagement.
- Develop strategies that connect physical and digital category experiences across fulfillment models.
- Support digital shelf initiatives and identify opportunities to improve assortment, visibility, and conversion.
- Influence digital category execution through insights, analytics, and strategic recommendations.
Retailer & Cross-Functional Partnership
- Build strong relationships with Kroger decision makers and key stakeholders.
- Partner with Sales, Commerce Media, Shopper Marketing, Shopper Insights, and Customer teams to develop integrated category strategies.
- Support joint business planning discussions and category reviews.
- Influence stakeholders through data-driven insights and category expertise.
Category Leadership & Business Impact
- Serve as a subject matter expert on category management, omnichannel retail, and shopper behavior.
- Lead complex category initiatives that drive measurable business results.
- Deliver recommendations that balance retailer objectives, shopper needs, and Hershey business goals.
- Share best practices and help elevate category management capabilities across the organization.
Minimum Education & Requirements
Experience
- 5+ years of experience in Category Management, CPG Sales, Retail Analytics, Shopper Insights, Digital Commerce, or related fields.
- Experience utilizing syndicated data, shopper insights, and category management methodologies.
- Experience partnering with retailers and influencing customer-facing business decisions.
- Omnichannel, digital commerce, or digital shelf experience preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong category management and customer strategy expertise.
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge of shopper behavior, market research, and consumer trends.
- Ability to translate data and insights into actionable business recommendations.
- Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience working with syndicated data and retailer analytics tools.
- Ability to influence cross-functional teams and external partners.
- Understanding of digital commerce, omnichannel retail, and digital shelf fundamentals preferred
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Category Management, Analytics, Economics, Retail Management, or a related field required.
Benefits and Perks
At Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work.
- Health & Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus wellness programs that support your physical and mental health
- Financial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company match
- Time Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicable
- Growth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility
Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.
The anticipated base salary range for this role is $110,480 to $138,100 per year. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of job‑related factors, including, but not limited to, experience, skill set, education, and training. In addition to a market-competitive base salary, our Total Rewards package includes performance‑based incentives and a comprehensive, competitive benefits package designed to support overall physical, mental, and financial well‑being (as applicable).
Learn more about Hershey’s benefits and all the resources Hershey provides to support our employees’ physical, emotional, and financial well‑being by visiting the Hershey Digital Employee Experience at www.askHRbenefits.hersheys.com
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. You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.
You can request an accommodation via phone or email.To request an accommodation via phone, please call +1 877-804-1794 and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to ApplicationHelp@hersheys.com. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.
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Nearest Major Market: Cincinnati
