Channel Category Manager

Channel Category Manager
Medela LLC in McHenry, IL
Hybrid: Three days in the office
Salary: starting at $100K plus bonus

Are you passionate about turning shopper insights into winning retail strategies? Do you love using data, trends, and category expertise to influence major retailers and drive growth? If so, we want to hear from you.

We are looking for a strategic and analytical Channel Category Manager to help shape category growth across key retail channels and customer accounts. In this role, you will partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and Key Account teams to develop data-driven category strategies, shopper-focused recommendations, and compelling retailer presentations that grow both the business and customer partnerships.

What You’ll Do

• Lead category and channel strategies that drive growth across key retail accounts
• Analyze market trends, shopper insights, sales performance, and competitive data to identify opportunities
• Partner with Sales and Key Account teams to support customer planning and business initiatives
• Develop compelling category stories, presentations, and recommendations for retail partners
• Create assortment, merchandising, and in-store execution strategies that improve shopper engagement and sales
• Identify distribution gaps and growth opportunities across retail channels
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Finance, Product, and Sales teams to align priorities and execution
• Help position the company as a trusted category expert with customers and retail partners

What You Bring

• 3+ years of experience in Category Management, Shopper Marketing, Trade Marketing, Channel Management, Sales Strategy, or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, or related field
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to turn data into actionable business recommendations
• Experience working with retailers, distributors, or strategic customer accounts
• Experience supporting retail, CPG, consumer healthcare, baby products, or related industries
• Knowledge of category management principles, assortment strategy, merchandising, and shopper behavior
• Experience with category and market data tools such as Nielsen, Circana/IRI, GFK, Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms
• Experience with planogram or merchandising tools such as Spaceman
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment

Why Join?

• Opportunity to directly influence retail growth strategy and customer partnerships
• Highly collaborative and strategic role with visibility across the organization
• Fast-paced environment where your ideas and insights make an impact
• Career growth opportunities within a growing organization
• Hybrid working model: Three on-site office days, Two home office days
• Comprehensive benefits plan
• 401K with match
• Money Purchase Plan
• 16-week Paid Parental Leave
• Generous PTO package, including 14 paid holidays
• A great place to work!

If you enjoy combining analytics, shopper insights, retail strategy, and relationship management to drive business growth, we’d love to connect with you.

This is not a job description.

If you are interested in this opportunity, we are looking forward to receiving your application.
For this position we only consider direct applications and not recruiting firm referrals - thank you for your understanding.

As an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, protected veteran status, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, HIV/AIDs status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity (transgender status), weight, height or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance.

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As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its member organizations thrive by offering the most comprehensive assortment of HR services, information, education, and resources to help build successful workplaces and a powerful workforce.

We partner with these companies working directly with their HR department and leadership to hire their talent. We are a direct line to the company, not an agency recruiter.