Summary
A purpose-driven, multi-location organic retailer in Alberta is seeking a strategic and hands-on Category Manager – Grocery to lead the performance, profitability, and product integrity of its grocery and produce categories across all stores. This is a high-impact leadership role with oversight of the Grocery Buyer. The successful candidate will combine strong financial acumen with deep retail grocery experience — bringing discipline to margin management, clarity to product mix decisions, and energy to vendor and in-store partnerships. This opportunity is ideal for a grocery merchant who understands natural and organic retail, values ethical sourcing, and thrives in a dynamic, community-focused environment. TYou will be responsible for end-to-end category performance across multiple locations. This includes gross margin optimization, inventory turnover, product mix strategy, vendor negotiations, promotional planning, and in-store merchandising alignment. The role requires a balance of analytical rigor, field engagement, and leadership capability — ensuring that every product decision supports financial targets while aligning with the organization’s values and customer expectations. Salary $70,000-$85,000k
Description
Leadership & Oversight
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Lead, manage, and hold accountable the Grocery Buyer and support in-store grocery managers.
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Provide coaching and direction to ensure strong on-hand inventory management and disciplined purchasing practices.
Category Performance & Margin Management
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Set and execute pricing strategies to optimize gross margin while maintaining customer loyalty.
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Analyze reports and market trends to continuously refine pricing and assortment strategy.
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Improve inventory turnover and reduce waste through disciplined purchasing and product flow management.
Product Mix & Merchandising
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Optimize category assortment based on store demographics, sales trends, and industry insights.
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Ensure all products align with organizational ethical and quality standards.
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Partner with store leadership to maintain logical, compelling merchandising and category placement.
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Conduct regular store walk-throughs to ensure execution standards are upheld.
Promotions & Marketing Collaboration
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Coordinate monthly flyers and tiered promotions.
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Partner with Marketing on promotional planning, end caps, signage, and trade advertising (print and digital).
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Track flyer sales, promotional lift, and new product performance.
Vendor Relations & Purchasing Advantage
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Build and maintain strong vendor relationships.
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Negotiate favorable pricing and discount structures.
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Attend trade shows and industry networking events to identify new products and secure advantageous terms.
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Review vendor applications and assess customer product requests.
Operational & Tactical Execution
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Monitor out-of-stock levels and implement corrective strategies.
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Provide in-store support during promotional events and activations.
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Manage demo schedules and customer engagement initiatives.
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Support seasonal and monthly purchasing programs.
Requirements
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Direct retail grocery experience is essential; natural and organic foods industry experience is preferred.
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Previous purchasing and people management experience.
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Strong quantitative and analytical skills with demonstrated business acumen.
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Experience working with inventory systems and database-driven reporting tools.
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High level of organization and attention to detail.
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Comfortable operating in a dynamic, evolving retail environment.
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Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate across stores, vendors, and marketing teams
Corporate Culture
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Full-time salaried position (40 hours per week on average).
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Hybrid - 2 days from home office, 3 day in head office
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Some travel within Calgary and occasional travel across Alberta/Canada required.
This is an opportunity for a retail grocery merchant to elevate category performance while protecting the integrity of a natural and organic assortment — driving both financial results and meaningful community impact.