Category Specialist

Entity:

Customers & Products

Job Family Group:

Retail Group

Job Description:

As a Category Specialist – Fresh Food, you will play a pivotal role in crafting the strategic direction and execution of fresh food offerings within convenience retail. This role goes beyond traditional category management by integrating food innovation, product development, and beverage optimization to deliver a differentiated and competitive customer experience.

You will collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams—including R&D, marketing, operations, and supply chain—as well as external partners and vendors to drive category performance, optimize assortment and pricing strategies, and lead innovation in both food and proprietary beverage offerings.

Key Accountabilities

Category Strategy & Execution

• Support the development and execution of category business plans across assigned fresh food and beverage product areas.
• Lead promotional planning and pricing strategies to drive sales, margin, and customer engagement.
• Monitor category performance and maintain scorecards to track key metrics; recommend and implement corrective actions as needed.

·  Vendor & Partner Management

• Manage vendor relationships, including contract negotiations, rebate agreements, and promotional execution.
• Collaborate with suppliers and co-manufacturers to ensure quality, innovation, and speed-to-market for new and existing products.

·  Product Innovation & R&D Integration

• Partner with Food R&D teams to identify and develop new fresh food concepts based on consumer insights, culinary trends, and operational feasibility.
• Support product testing, sensory evaluations, and pilot programs to validate new offerings before full-scale rollout.
• Ensure alignment between category goals and innovation pipeline to drive long-term growth.

·  Proprietary Beverage Optimization

• Work closely with beverage teams to enhance the performance of proprietary beverage programs, including coffee, fountain, and specialty drinks.
• Analyze sales data and customer feedback to refine beverage recipes, equipment placement, and promotional strategies.
• Identify opportunities to integrate fresh food and beverage pairings to increase basket size and customer satisfaction.

·  Operational & Financial Management

• Oversee inventory levels for both proprietary and national brands, resolving overages or shortages to maintain in-stock excellence.
• Manage category budgets, including purchase orders, invoice processing, and vendor estimates.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide insights to inform future strategy and innovation.

·  Market & Consumer Insights

• Stay informed on industry trends, competitive activity, and evolving consumer preferences in fresh food and beverages.
• Leverage insights to identify whitespace opportunities and guide strategic decision-making.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in retail or category management; experience in convenience, grocery, or QSR preferred.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Proven ability to negotiate and manage vendor relationships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Understanding of key category performance indicators (e.g., gross margin, return on investment, inventory turns, basket size).
• Effective communicator and collaborator across departments.
• Ability to synthesize data and translate insights into actionable plans.

Considering Joining bp?

At bp, we support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. bp is committed to encouraging an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly. There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are meaningful, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, excellent retirement benefits, and more!

Travel Requirement

Up to 25% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance:

Relocation may be negotiable for this role

Remote Type:

This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills:

Agility core practices, Agility core practices, Agreements and negotiations, Analytical Thinking, Business Acumen, Commercial Acumen, Communication, Continuous Improvement, Continuous Learning, Creativity and Innovation, customer and competitor understanding, Customer centric thinking, Customer data knowledge, Data Analysis, Data visualization and interpretation, Decision Making, Digital Collaboration, Digital Fluency, Industry knowledge and advocacy, Integrated pricing, Knowledge Sharing, Leading transformation, market, Negotiation planning and preparation, Offer and product knowledge {+ 13 more}

Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.