Senior Retail Sales & Category Analyst
Lake Forest
Permanent
Negotiable
Go-to-Market
PR/583354_1773265154
Senior Retail Sales & Category Analyst
Location: Onsite (U.S.)
Function: Retail Sales, Category Management & Commercial Analytics
Overview
A growth‑oriented consumer products company is seeking a Senior Retail Sales & Category Analyst to support retail channel performance across a national portfolio. This role blends category management, retail analytics, financial modeling, and strategic insights to drive business growth and strengthen relationships with key retail partners. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast‑paced, data‑rich environment and can translate complex data into clear, actionable recommendations.
Key Responsibilities
Category & Shopper Insights
- Serve as the internal expert on category dynamics, shopper behavior, and market trends.
- Generate insights to guide assortment, distribution, and category placement decisions.
- Build category growth strategies and influence retailer partners through data‑driven storytelling.
Retail Analytics & Reporting
- Analyze sales, POS, and shopper data across major retail accounts.
- Maintain weekly and monthly reporting, including scorecards and dashboards.
- Support business reviews with clear headlines, trends, and recommendations.
- Manage ad‑hoc analytical requests with quick turnaround.
Financial Modeling & Commercial Planning
- Build and maintain financial models to evaluate pricing, promotions, trade programs, and assortment scenarios.
- Support annual planning, forecasting, and margin optimization initiatives.
- Partner cross‑functionally with Sales, Finance, and Marketing to evaluate commercial opportunities.
Retail & Trade Strategy
- Assess retailer and competitive promotions to provide strategic guidance on trade investment.
- Support category resets, innovation planning, and sell‑in materials tailored to each account.
- Participate in monthly/quarterly business reviews with key customers.
Tools & Technology
- Build and update dashboards in BI tools to support Sales and Marketing teams.
- Drive automation and process efficiencies across standard reporting.
- Utilize syndicated data and retailer-specific data platforms to unlock insights (platforms may vary by account).
Qualifications
Required
- 4+ years of experience in retail analytics, category management, or sales support.
- Strong proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and BI/data visualization platforms.
- Experience working with syndicated data and retail performance datasets.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver on tight timelines.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills with a focus on simplification and clarity.
Preferred
- Experience in consumer goods, consumer health, or similar fast‑moving categories.
- Familiarity with retailer planning portals and POS systems.
- Strong storytelling capabilities with the ability to influence cross-functional partners.
What Success Looks Like
- Turning large, fragmented datasets into simple, actionable insights.
- Strengthening retailer relationships through credibility and analytical rigor.
- Helping shape category growth strategies that drive measurable business impact.
- Improving reporting processes through automation and efficiency.
