Manager Category Space

Acosta is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Category Space Manager to lead space management initiatives supporting Sam’s Fresh business priorities. In this role, you will manage the Acosta Space Management team responsible for delivering high-quality merchandising and shelf planning solutions aligned to retailer timelines, category strategies, and business objectives. You will leverage insights, historical learnings, syndicated data, and consumer behavior research to guide forward-thinking Fresh strategies and ensure planogram programs are executed accurately, efficiently, and on time. What You'll Do Lead and manage the Acosta Space Management team through the planogram development process, ensuring key milestones and retailer timelines are met. Identify marketplace trends, category insights, and department opportunities that support strategic merchandising decisions. Develop strategic planogram action plans and establish priorities aligned with the retailer’s buying team goals and objectives. Ensure team members receive appropriate training and development on JDA/Space Planning software, automation scripts, product knowledge, fixture utilization, safety guidelines, and consumer shopping behaviors. Serve as a subject matter expert in analyzing retailer data, syndicated data, incrementality insights, and member behavior to strengthen department recommendations. Recommend space, assortment, and merchandising optimizations based on available data and cross-functional expertise. Create and deliver compelling presentations for retailer buying teams and the vendor community using available tools, insights, and data. Leverage Acosta’s space automation capabilities to improve planogram accuracy, consistency, and team productivity. Prepare and present monthly business reviews to retailer space planning and buying teams, including project status, timeliness, quality metrics, and key updates. Perform other duties as assigned. What We're Looking For: The ideal candidate is a collaborative people leader with strong space management experience, the ability to translate data into actionable recommendations, and a passion for improving merchandising execution. You should be comfortable working directly with retailer leadership, buying teams, space planning partners, and internal cross-functional stakeholders. College degree or equivalent work experience required. Five (5) to seven (7) years of related experience in space management, space planning, or a space technology-based solution with a top retailer. Experience using data, insights, and analytics to influence merchandising, category, or assortment strategies. Strong leadership skills with the ability to guide, coach, and develop team members. Ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, and deliverables in a fast-paced environment. Strong communication and presentation skills, including the ability to share insights and recommendations with retailer and vendor stakeholders. Three (3) or more years of Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry and consumer analytics experience preferred. Three (3) or more years of people management experience preferred. #DiscoverYourPath