Protein Category Manager

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Position Summary

We are seeking a decisive, high-energy, market-oriented Protein Category Manager to spearhead the incremental growth of our Protein category. While our Core Merchandising Manager maintains the foundational portfolio, you are the "Market Specialist." You will sit at the center of the action: responding to time-sensitive offers, collaborating with our Strategic Alliances, Specialty Companies, Vendor network and Sales teams and managing our COP Contracting program. We need a professional who thrives under pressure and can bridge the gap between global commodity trends and local market needs, ensuring our product portfolio and buy-side costs translate into a winning sell-side position.

Location : the successful candidate must be able to commute to the Amherst Distribution Center for the current 4 days a week minimum. The position currently requires some travel across the Atlantic region for customer visits

Main Responsibilities:

​Strategic Opportunity Buys

• Make fast purchasing decisions on time-sensitive offers from vendors and strategic alliances to gain market advantages.
• Track market trends and commodity fluctuations to keep pricing competitive for the sales team.
• Sourcing unique opportunity buys to drive customer interest and incremental sales.

Risk & Inventory Management

• Assess volume, distribution center (DC) capacity, and market volatility before placing high-risk forward buys.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Sales, Supply Chain, and Revenue Management to ensure smooth sell-through.

COP Contracting Program Management

• Lead supplier-side contracting with key partners to secure optimal volume and pricing for category growth.
• Oversee customer-side protein contracts, aligning costs with sales commitments to safeguard margins and distribution.
• Monitor vendor and division contract compliance, escalating performance issues as needed.

Portfolio & Vendor Leadership

• Source across national, regional, specialty, and local suppliers to maintain market-relevant inventory.
• Negotiate contracts with new regional suppliers and balance national category goals with local market demands.
• Forward-buy and secure supply ahead of seasonal demand spikes and commodity cycles to prevent inventory gaps.

Sales Partnership & Customer Engagement

• Serve as the protein subject-matter expert for sales teams, participating in client meetings and business reviews.
• Educate and coach sales representatives on market trends, product details, and selling strategies to boost margin growth.
  
  

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Protein Expertise: 3+ years of deep knowledge in beef, lamb, seafood and poultry, including quality standards and supply chain dynamics.
• Commodity Market Fluency: Extensive knowledge of market fluctuations and the ability to interpret data to make timely buying decisions.
• Financial & Analytical Acumen: Strong grasp of Margin, Pricing and DC capacity metrics in a perishable goods environment.
• Collaboration & Influence: Proven ability to work across multiple teams and influence stakeholders at both the regional and national levels.
• The "Intrapreneur" Spirit: A creative thinker who can inject fresh perspectives into the category and drive brand goals.
• Tech Savvy: Bachelor’s degree preferred; SAP experience is a significant asset for managing complex inventory and procurement data.

#GFSCA

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for the next stage will be contacted. Gordon Food Service is an equal opportunity employer who strives to provide an inclusive work environment that involves everyone and embraces the diverse talent of its people. All qualified applicants and employees will receive consideration for employment, or in terms or conditions of employment, without regard to any enumerated or analogous grounds of discrimination, including race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, sexual orientation or status as a qualified individual with disability.
If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, please submit your request to [email protected] and use the words “Accommodation Request” in your subject line.