Sr. Category Manager – Packaged /Adult and Dispensed Beverages
Career Overview
This candidate is a seasoned professional in the convenience retail and beverage category management space, with thirty-five years of experience. His career has included significant leadership positions in category management, merchandising, operations, CDC logistics, and national account development. His work has directly impacted beverage programs across thousands of stores for multiple national and regional chains.
Category Management & Beverage Success
He has a deep background in both packaged and dispensed beverages. Most recently, he served as the senior category manager for packaged, adult, and dispensed beverages for a regional convenience store chain. In that role, he successfully negotiated national and regional CMA agreements with major beverage vendors, resulting in rebate revenues of approximately $400,000 annually. Under his direction, packaged beverage sales experienced a compound annual growth rate of 17%, while energy drink sales rose by 20% and dispensed beverage categories increased 25% in a single year. His category management experience includes coffee, cold dispensed beverages, FCB, packaged beverages, beer / wine, and dairy.
Innovation in Equipment & Program Development
He implemented significant equipment upgrades, including converting stores to bean-to-cup coffee platforms and transitioning fountain sets from Pepsi to Coca-Cola. Additionally, he restructured condiment bars, upgraded pricing rails, and launched new coffee flavor profiles, which increased category sales by 25%. His work not only improved quality and customer experience but delivered measurable sales growth across categories.
Cross-Channel & Manufacturer Experience
He has also worked on the manufacturing side, managing key accounts nationally for a bottled water brand. He was responsible for gaining new authorizations with chains of 400+ stores and establishing retail sales of over $750,000 annually within four months. This role added valuable experience in B2B selling, customer relationship development, and strategic account management.
Long-Term Corporate Contributions
Earlier in his career, he held progressively senior roles in a major convenience chain, including Area Sales Manager, Field Consultant, and Division Logistics Manager. Notably, he was instrumental in supporting the U.S. rollout of a daily delivery commissary program. He also led merchandising resets and new store initiatives during a national brand’s expansion into the East Coast.
Technology and Analytical Tools
He reports strong proficiency in PDI systems, having used the platform daily for several years to track sales, manage categories, and analyze profitability. His experience also includes working with IRI and Nielsen data to prepare sales presentations and planogramming support decks on the manufacturer side.
Leadership Style and Career Motivation
While his roles in recent years have been individual contributor-based, he previously managed small teams and vendor resources and expressed a clear interest in returning to a people leadership role. He describes himself as highly analytical, collaborative, and passionate about coaching and mentoring rising talent. He is motivated by operational excellence, data-driven decision-making, and developing long-term vendor relationships.
Relocation and Personal Considerations
He is open to relocation and is currently based in San Antonio, Texas. Relocation within the State of Texas is preferred due to familial considerations. His most recent employer has released a number of key personnel in the past month, ranging from DMs to CFO, in what appear to be cost-savings measures. As part of this cost-cutting, his role was also impacted.
Professional Recognition
He has been a four-time finalist for CSP Magazine’s Beverage Category Manager of the Year and has received past awards for merchandising excellence and operational leadership. These accolades reflect his long-term impact in driving category growth and innovation in the retail sector.
Compensation Expectations
Compensation expectations at $125K base salary plus a bonus opportunity. Relocation assistance is greatly appreciated.
