Lamar N. Overcash
Category Manager, Snacks and Beverages
Minneapolis, MN · (612) 555 0147 · name@example.com · linkedin.com/in/lamarnovercash
Key Qualifications
EXPERIENCE
Eleven years in grocery retail, five in category management
INDUSTRIES
Regional supermarkets, beverage distribution
SPECIALTIES
Assortment and space planning, promotional planning, trade fund management, private label, syndicated data analysis
SYSTEMS
Oracle Retail Merchandising, Blue Yonder space planning, Circana syndicated data, Power BI
CREDENTIALS
Certified Professional in Supply Management, Institute for Supply Management
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in marketing, University of Minnesota
Results at a Glance
6.4%
Comparable store sales
$4.1m
Annual trade funds
74%
Percent by simplifying
8%
Category sales
Executive Summary
Category manager for snacks and beverages at a 38 store upper midwest grocery chain, responsible for 96 million dollars in annual retail. Eleven years in grocery, five in category management after four as a store manager. Owns assortment, pricing, promotion and the shelf set for nine subcategories.
Signature Achievements
- Grew category gross margin return on investment from 2.2 to 3.0 in two years by cutting 380 items that did not earn their space and going deeper on the top sellers.
- Delivered 6.4 percent comparable store sales in snacks against a market running at 2.1 percent, mostly from better shelf placement of better for you items.
- Negotiated 4.1 million dollars in annual trade funds and tied every dollar to displays or price support that the stores actually executed.
- Raised planogram compliance from 74 percent to 93 percent by simplifying sets for the smallest twelve stores rather than forcing one plan on everyone.
- Launched fourteen private label beverage items that reached 8 percent of category sales in the first year at nine points better margin.
- Improved units per transaction in the category by cross merchandising snacks with the deli grab and go case at the front of the store.
Professional Experience
Category Manager, Snacks and Beverages
North Loop Grocers, Minneapolis, MN 2021 to present
Nine subcategories worth 96 million dollars in annual retail across 38 stores.
- Run annual category reviews using syndicated data, loyalty basket analysis and store level sell through.
- Set everyday pricing and the promotional calendar, and manage open to buy on inventory build for seasonal events.
- Lead quarterly business reviews with twelve major vendors and hold them to agreed display and funding commitments.
- Work with store operations on reset execution, since a set nobody can build on a Tuesday night is not a set.
Assistant Category Manager
Lakes Region Food Group, Saint Cloud, MN 2018 to 2021
Support for four categories worth 40 million dollars in a twelve store chain.
- Built the weekly reporting on sell through, weeks of supply and price gap to competitors.
- Managed item setup, cost changes and the deal calendar for two hundred vendors.
- Ran the ad forecast and reduced overbuys on advertised items by a fifth.
Store Manager
Mississippi Bend Markets, Winona, MN 2014 to 2018
A single store with 52 associates and 18 million dollars in annual sales.
- Ran the full store profit and loss and grew comparable store sales three years running.
- Learned how a category plan lands on the floor, which is why my resets get executed now.
Licensure and Certification
Certified Professional in Supply Management, Institute for Supply Management
Member, Category Management Association
Education
Bachelor of Science in marketing, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Core Skills
Assortment planning · Space and planogram management · Trade fund negotiation · Promotional planning · Syndicated data analysis · Private label development · Gross margin return on investment · Pricing strategy · Vendor management · Sell through analysis