Manager, Product

Referred applicants should not apply directly to this role.

All referred applicants must first be submitted through Workday by a current Loblaw Colleague.

Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued - as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country's largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well®.

At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong.

Why is this role important :
The successful candidate will lead a control brand portfolio, leverage customer insights and industry trends to develop drive first to market innovation, and with strong market knowledge drive growth in our base innovation. Reporting to the Senior Director, Loblaw Brands, the incumbent will ensure health of the base program by ensuring delivery of all maintenance projects.

What you'll do:

• Develop strong working relationships with key team members including Category Management, Supply Chain, Control Brand Sourcing teams, and Marketing to ensure effective collaboration and execution of CB strategies and plans

• Acquire knowledge and insights of corporate strategy, consumer insights and economic outlook to develop the CB portfolio strategy for new products

• Develop strategic rationale and cases for new product development including financial feasibility and negotiations, supplier selection, product and packaging features, sales projections, pricing recommendations, marketing, merchandising and promotions

• Develop strategy for new product categories including merchandising, packaging, pricing, promotions and marketing to ensure continued growth and improve sales potential which will be managed by the divisional category teams

• Apply financial and management information systems to compile, analyze and monitor sales results and recommend corrective actions / see opportunities for newly launched products

• Develop and maintain good working relationships with manufacturers to ensure proper execution of product launches and optimum service levels are being met

• Responsible for end-to-end project management (ie. owner of team collaboration to ensure strategies are met and projects are delivered on time and meet stated objectives for both base maintenance and new products)

• Arrange and participate in department meetings to develop strategies, troubleshoot and actively pursue innovative items, ingredients and packaging ideas

• Coaching and talent development for Assistant Product Manager direct report

• Chair design kick-off meetings to ensure team understanding of the project strategy

• Lead forward looking innovation conversations with our vendors and chair project kick-off meetings ensuring clear understanding of critical turning points

• Building and leading diverse teams that foster a workplace of inclusiveness and belonging

What you bring:

• Minimum 5-7 years’ of product management/merchandising or equivalent experience

• University degree required in Management, Marketing or Equivalent

• Project Management Certification and/or MBA an asset

• Strong leadership and managerial skills including project management

• Strong presentation and analytical skills with the ability to provide recommendations and build plans from key analytics

• Advanced level of initiative and judgment in order to organize and prioritize tasks, workload and projects

• Advanced understanding of marketing and merchandising practices and procedures

• Ability to build strong collaborative working relationships with cross functional teams

• Specialized interpersonal and decision making skills with the ability to resolve situations with colleagues where there may be some level of conflict, stress or uncertainty

• Advanced computer skills with the ability to produce effective reports, documents, spreadsheets and presentations

Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars - Environment, Sourcing and Community - and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values - Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence - guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits - these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Greenest Employers & Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.

If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Please Note:
Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.