Senior Category Manager - Nova Cannabis - Toronto

Job No: ALCANNA1055
Location: Toronto

About Nova Cannabis

Nova (TSX: NOVC) is one of Canada's largest and fastest growing cannabis retailers with a goal to disrupt the cannabis retail market by offering a wide range of high-quality cannabis products at every-day best value prices. The Company currently operates 54 locations across Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan primarily under its Value Buds and Nova Cannabis banners. The Company is majority owned by Alcanna Inc. (TSX: CLIQ).

 

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, we are looking for a Senior Category Manager, Cannabis to join our Cannabis Operations team. The Senior Category Manager, Cannabis will be responsible for leading the development of the cannabis category and channel strategies which reflect a best-in-class Category Management approach. This includes data driven solutions on in-store conditions with a focus on assortment, merchandising, and price for our Recreational Cannabis customers. This role requires a strategic, results-oriented professional who is excited to plunge into our growth initiatives as the premier retailer of cannabis in Canada.

 

Role and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

 

  • The Senior Category Manager designs, develops, and executes category and assortment strategies for cannabis categories and accessories, as determined by established sales, profits, qualitative, and quantitative criteria
  • Sets category price strategy and develops pricing tactics, including in-store merchandising, to achieve financial and customer objectives, including initial regular pricing
  • Conducts ongoing analysis of category and product performance, trends, and competitive assortment and pricing
  • Conducts item level assortment analysis and determines assortment including coverage of needs analysis for priority sub-categories, vendor optimization, SKU optimization, and private label strategy
  • Accountable for new item and promotional forecasts, identify item delists, manage and communicate markdowns/markups price adjustments and develop exit strategies
  • Develops and/or recommends product flow plans to maximize availability at the lowest possible inventory levels
  • Visits corporate and competitor’s stores to build category strategy and price ladders. Proactively communicates those strategies to leadership and their respective cross functional teams to allow for appropriate planning and execution for all teams
  • Manages customer partnerships (government & private) working with key external and internal stakeholders
  • Develops strategic relationships with key licensed producers and suppliers to ensure early insight to new trends and products; early and exclusive access to new items; differentiated product, merchandising and promotions; competitive costs
  • Partners with Exclusive Brands to integrate branded/ exclusive programs into overall category strategies and with Marketing on marketing and promotional events
  • Initiate, negotiate and manage vendor agreements, costs, vendor allowances/terms, quality, and delivery terms to drive supplier performance. Develop and maintain vendor relationships both locally and nationally
  • Attends trade shows and buying trips to identify new vendors, enhance innovation and product categories that will influence item assortment, new item creation, pricing, while aligning to corporate strategy
  • Balances innovation and industry best practices, to ensure new initiatives are vetted and prioritized to drive sales and margin
  • Partners with team to create compelling assortments that reflect emerging market trends, seasonal themes, highly rated product, and latest brands/labels
  • Works across the organization to support a best in class Omni-channel shopping experience for the customer
  • Provides coaching, and direction to Category Management team once developed

 

Experience and Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Supply Chain, Business Management, Sales & Marketing and/or Finance; An equivalent combination of experience will be considered
  • Minimum, 5 - 8 years’ of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management and direct sales/store/customer service in retail or hospitality required, particularly in the liquor and/or cannabis industry
  • Minimum, 3+ years’ supervisory experience
  • CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Chain Mgmt), SCMP (Supply Chain Mgmt Professional) and/or CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) membership preferred
  • Broad retail experience including working knowledge of cross functional areas/processes and their inter-relationships
  • Proven track record in building customer partnerships and delivering quantifiable business growth results, including demonstrated P & L management skills
  • Computer literate with demonstrated ability to adapt to new programs and software
  • Highly proficient in MS Office Suite applications
  • Sound knowledge of retail operations and related operating practices
  • Familiarity with cannabis industry and cannabis knowledge required. Experience as a cannabis educator an asset
  • Working knowledge of regulations as it pertains to the selling of Cannabis in Alberta or Ontario

 

 

Personal Characteristics and Requirements

  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport and effective working relationships with other business units quickly
  • Proactive in recognizing and identifying need and opportunities for improvement
  • Ability to partner with leaders in the organization and industry to move initiatives forward and champion growth
  • Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to influence others and follow-up on team accountabilities to ensure deadlines and goals are met
  • Team player and with a positive attitude and ability to manage in ambiguity
  • Ability to be flexible, in keeping with the needs of our growing company and gaming industry
  • Analytical thinker with an entrepreneurial attitude
  • Ability to leverage data from a variety of sources and synthesizing them into actionable business building recommendations
  • Strong business and financial acumen and ability to offer strategic solutions
  • Ability to gather input, negotiate and work through new challenges effectively
  • Results-oriented professional with a high degree of initiative and autonomy
  • Highly organized and able to manage a high volume of work in a high energy environment
  • Detail oriented and the ability to produce high quality work with accuracy
  • Uphold confidentiality, ethics, and demonstrate a high level of discretion at all times
  • Superior written and verbal communication skills
  • Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
  • Must pass a basic security clearance
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