Sr. Manager, Product Strategy

Department: Product Strategy & Merchandising
Employment Type: Full-Time
Requisition ID: 1095
Date Posted: June 19, 2025
Closing Date: July 3, 2025 or until filled

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director, Product Strategy & Merchandising, the Sr. Manager, Product Strategy & Merchandising - Livestock Products is responsible for leading and guiding the Product Strategy team members to achieve their sales, margin & gross margin % budgets by developing key strategic vendor relationships, pricing strategies, product, promotional campaigns, and assortment plans.

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities:

• Develop overarching strategies for assigned categories that provides the framework for the team to successfully develop product promotional campaigns and assortment plans. deliver on UFA’s business objectives and financial budgets.
• Guide Product Strategy team members to develop promotional strategies and tactics, based upon customer segmentation and category management principles that will achieve business and financial objectives.

• Oversee and ensure adherence to the timely execution of the team’s product strategies. Proactively identify and resolve strategic issues that may impair the team’s ability to achieve business objectives and financial goals.

• Translate business goals and customer needs into product category strategy and clearly communicate direction and product priorities to the team and other stakeholders.
• Lead, plan and communicate the implementation of overall category business plans and initiatives:
  • Communicate product category strategies to supply chain partners to ensure appropriate forecasts are in place that will support business plans and improve UFA’s financial productivity.
  • Work closely with cross-functional teams to communicate product segment and merchandising strategic direction to UFA’s operational leaders.
• Manage cross functional team and stakeholder expectations to execute on product category strategies
• Motivate, develop, and coach product strategy team members to excel in their roles and grow in the organization.
• Research marketplace trends involving product, customers, suppliers and competitors to identify new products, sourcing and business ideas to ensure our product category assortments and customer experience are best in class. Gather market intelligence through formal and informal means to aid in the development of the overall business strategies and portfolio performance.
• Manage and optimize vendor relationships with respect to their product categories and assortments. Partner with vendors regularly to focus on: business growth, strengthen partnerships, improve cost of goods / payment terms / rebates / marketing co-op, and drive synergies across the business with a global approach.

• Participate and/or lead cross-functional corporate projects and initiatives as required.

Qualifications required for the position:

• Degree in Business, Economics, Mathematics or related field and /or equivalent work experience.
• More than 10 years relevant experience with minimum 3-5 years’ experience in leading a product strategy team
• Livestock & Agricultural products experience an asset

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications

• Microsoft Dynamics experience an asset
• Proven track record to build strong relationships and work with cross-functional teams
• Exceptional presentation & communication skills (both written and verbal).
• Exposure to competitor and business intelligence with a demonstrated ability to synthesize and report on business relevance.
• Ability to create successful strategies that meet / exceed member & customer needs and achieve category goals and financial objectives

• Provide accurate and timely reporting to the business stakeholders to facilitate business opportunity discussions and strategy development

• Able to multi-task with shifting and competing business priorities, in conditions of minimal supervision.

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Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

At UFA we care about the lives of our employees, members, customers, elected officials, and partners. This includes their whole selves and what makes them unique. We strive to create an inclusive environment that welcomes employees from diverse populations and backgrounds, where everyone can do their best work. In our world of agriculture, it takes time for growth, this is our seed to grow inclusion and belonging at UFA.

If you require accommodation in submitting this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to careers@ufa.com

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We thank all candidates for their interest, however only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.