Freshpet · 23 hours ago
Senior Director - Category Development and Planning (Sales)
Bedminster, NJ, USA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$205K/yr - $225K/yr
10+ years expFreshpet is dedicated to changing the way people nourish their pets. The Senior Director of Category Development & Planning is responsible for shaping the long-term category strategy and driving cross-functional alignment to accelerate growth across customers, channels, and product lines.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingPet
No H1B
Responsibilities
Guide the multi-year retailer category vision, competitive strategy, and growth roadmap across key channels (e.g., mass, grocery, club, specialty, e-commerce)
Leverage insights from consumer trends, shopper behavior, and market data to guide product portfolio and innovation strategy
Build scalable tools, frameworks, and processes that support data-driven decision-making, drawing on experience from large CPG companies
Partner on joint business planning with major retail partners; deliver compelling category narratives that influence retailer decisions on shelf, pricing, promotions, and assortment
Develop best-in-class category presentations, line reviews, and merchandising strategies
Ensure alignment between retailer expectations and internal product/supply capabilities
Lead the annual and quarterly sales planning process, ensuring category strategies, consumer insights, and demand forecasts are directly translated into customer-level targets and activation plans
Implement scalable sales planning tools and processes, drawing from best practices in large CPG organizations while adapting for speed, flexibility, and resource constraints common in start-up or high-growth environments
Enable the field and key account teams with clear, insight-driven playbooks, selling narratives, and category rationales that elevate customer conversations and secure incremental wins
Partner closely with Supply Chain and Finance to establish accurate demand plans and support S&OP processes
Improve forecasting models and planning tools, balancing enterprise discipline with the flexibility required in smaller, fast-changing organizations
Identify opportunities for process optimization and capability building within the planning function
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing category development and planning team
Champion a culture that combines the strategic rigor of large CPGs with the entrepreneurial spirit of a start-up
Act as a strategic advisor to senior executives on category opportunities and marketplace risks
Qualification
Required
10-15+ years of experience in consumer goods category management, category development, and/or trade strategy, including 5-7+ years of experience owning and managing P&Ls for top-tier, strategic CPG customers
Significant experience in a large consumer packaged goods company with exposure to structured planning processes, retailer engagement, and national-level category leadership
Strong partnership experience with Sales and Finance to deliver profitable joint business plans and achieve customer-level financial targets
Proven track record of using financial insights to influence internal stakeholders and retailer decisions
Experience in start-ups, emerging brands, or high-growth environments, demonstrating comfort with ambiguity, agility, and hands-on leadership
Deep experience with category management tools such as Nielsen/IRI analytics suites, space planning/planogram tools, and retailer-specific category development platforms
Proven track record of influencing major retail partners and driving measurable category results
Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and storytelling skills
Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management abilities
Benefits
Medical, dental and vision insurance
Basic and optional life insurance
Short- and long-term disability protection
Flexible spending accounts
401(k) plan with company match
Paid parental leave
Pet insurance
Tuition assistance
A generous PTO plan
Company
Freshpet
Freshpet is an American manufacturer of refrigerated food and treats for dogs and cats. It was founded in 2006 by pet food industry
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$700MKey Investors
JANA PartnersMidOcean Partners
2023-03-15Post Ipo Debt· $350M
2022-09-22Post Ipo Equity
2022-05-03Post Ipo Equity· $350M
Leadership Team
William Cyr
CEO
Scott Morris
Co-Founder & President
Recent News
EIN Presswire
2025-12-01
The Motley Fool
2025-12-01
Company data provided by crunchbase