Position Title Senior Manager, Category Leadership Reports To Director, Customer and Category Strategy Location Markham, Ontario (Hybrid) Position Summary The Senior Manager Category Leadership is a strategic and transformational leader with superior leadership skills and a passion for lifelong learning. The incumbent delivers on JMS vision to become industry thought leaders by creating innovative solutions to complex business challenges. They lead the team in effectively leveraging multiple sources of data to uncover unique shopper and category insights that drive mutual growth and support the execution of our strategic initiatives.

They focus on identifying team efficiencies, optimizing capabilities, and fostering continuous learning while challenging the status quo to deliver exceptional category stewardship.

The Senior

Manager will oversee the execution of Joint Business Plan materials, collaborating with internal cross‑functional teams and external stakeholders to elevate the impact of Category Leadership and support our long‑term vision. Additionally, the incumbent will strengthen relationships with business partners, stay abreast of advancements in analytics, and seek the best value for JMS. Success in this role is defined by the Senior Manager’s ability to elevate Category Leadership’s strategic impact while inspiring their team to transform, develop, and grow.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS - Oversee strategic category work to ensure alignment with category objectives and JMS ambition.

- Lead and coach team members to maximize their potential, identify learning opportunities, and leverage tools efficiently.
- Help prioritize workload to align with strategic priorities and key customers.
- Support internal stakeholders during the annual planning cycle, providing market and category insights to help drive JMS growth ambition and strategic objectives.
- Act as a close partner with Insights to create data‑driven category growth strategies.




- Oversee the development of key retailer specific shelving & assortment principles.
- Manage relationships and budgets with data partners (Circana, NIQ, Dunnhumby, among others) to optimize investments and value.
- Identify requirements for tool development and data supporting systems.
- Strengthen relationships with US counterparts to leverage their scale and expertise for greater impact.
- Proactively build future talent pipeline, ensuring a steady stream of skilled professionals to support long‑term growth.

Qualifications - University Degree/College Diploma or relevant experience – MBA is a plus.

- 7–10 years of experience in Sales and/or Category Management & Analytics.
- Proficient in storytelling best practices with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategies.
- Strong leadership, communication, and presentation skills.
- Proven experience in people management, coaching, and talent development.
- Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities with a creative mindset.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain attention to detail with a bias for action.
- Proficiency in NielsenIQ Panel and RMS data.
- Strong understanding of retailer third‑party data (Dunnhumby, Circana, LDIA).
- Experience negotiating vendor contracts is an asset.
- Advanced skills in Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.
- Proven experience with Copilot 365, leveraging AI for data mining and efficiencies.

Salary Range $130,500 – $179,900 annually (range is target compensation; final salary determined by skills, experience, and internal equity).

Equal Chance Employer Smucker Foods of Canada Corp. is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or other legally protected status. If you require assistance or accommodation within any step of the recruitment and selection process, please let us know and we will work to meet your needs.

📌 Senior Manager, Category Leadership (Markham)
🏢 The J. M. Smucker
📍 Markham