Category Manager (Tempo)

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo ! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

Own the end-to-end strategy and execution of the Tempo Protein category, balancing customer experience, supply continuity, product innovation, and financial performance. This role serves as the primary business owner for the category, partnering cross-functionally to identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and deliver results in a fast-paced, highly visible environment.

This role is best suited for someone who enjoys building processes where they don't yet exist, thrives in a rapidly changing environment, and views ambiguity as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

Detailed Responsibilities

Develop and maintain category strategy, in service of company-wide goals

Own the identification, evaluation, and choice of suppliers and SKUs for the category

Coordinate, negotiate, and manage RFPs with both new and current suppliers

Build strategic supplier partnerships that foster innovation, improve performance, reduce cost, and strengthen long-term supply continuity

Conduct supply market analysis and collect supplier intelligence to drive sourcing process

Work closely with culinary team to identify new ingredient needs and test new suppliers

Coordinate with Cross Functional Partners to ensure all new suppliers meet Home Chef guidelines and expectations

Act as point on highly visible new protein A/B and Market tests

Partner with legal to negotiate contract terms with key supplier partners and ensure terms + conditions of those contracts are managed and met

Work with Procurement Operations, Warehouse and site teams to improve supply chain performance

Collaborate with local sites and supplier partners to problem solve regular supply disruptions and secure product in time for weekly meal production

Own category performance, proactively monitoring key metrics including cost, quality, supply continuity, customer feedback, inventory health, and supplier performance.

Attend industry conferences to identify new trends, suppliers and/or ingredients

Identify, prioritize, and commercialize new product opportunities that support customer experience, operational efficiency, and financial goals

This position requires 10% travel

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability and/or other characteristics needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

5+ years of procurement and sourcing experience (food category-related preferred)

Background in food and beverage industry highly preferred

Executive-level succinct communication, both verbal and written; discernment when delivering updates

Strong data and numerical orientation; baseline Excel/GSheet knowledge (index/match, pivot tables, gut-checking data)

Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate complex data into actionable business recommendations

Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple cross-functional initiatives with competing timelines

Ability to lead cross functional teams and stakeholders, and respectfully hold them accountable

Passion for food and for working in a fast-paced, quickly-growing, entrepreneurial environment a plus

Completion of a four-year degree program in a related field

More About Us

Perks and benefits

Candidates can experience Home Chef as a customer - enter promo code PEOPLE30 for $30 off your first order!

Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance available

Paid holidays, sick time and vacation time

401k program

Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses

How We Work Together

We are humble team players.

We are warm and gracious with team members and customers. We seek feedback to improve ourselves - and respectfully listen to and…