Category Manager US
Tony’s Chocolonely exists to make 100% Exploitation Free the norm in chocolate. Not only our chocolate, but all chocolate world-wide! Our main mission is to fight for equality and fairness – it inherently affects how we aspire to do business. We’re crazy about chocolate & serious about people.
We're excited to announce the opening for a US Category Manager to join our dynamic Sales Strategy Team.
The US Category Manager is responsible for translating syndicated and customer-level data into actionable category growth strategies that accelerate Tony’s retail performance and support the brand’s mission within the US chocolate category. This role leverages key data sources including SPINS, NielsenIQ, Numerator, 84.51 (Kroger), and Walmart Scintilla to identify category opportunities and risks, develop compelling fact-based customer sell-in stories, and inform strategic decisions across assortment, shelving, pricing, promotions, and innovation.
Acting as the voice of the category, this role partners closely with Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, and Innovation to turn consumer, shopper, and retailer insights into commercial action. The Category Manager will play a critical role in helping Tony’s win at shelf, strengthen customer partnerships, guide new product development and renovation decisions, and shape category strategies that drive sustainable growth in a fast-paced, mission-led business.
What you will do:
Sell‑In Storytelling & Customer Insights
Translate category insights into customer‑specific sell‑in decks grounded in retailer data (SPINS, 84.51, Numerator, Scintilla, NielsenIQ)
Build fact‑based narratives that support distribution gains, shelf expansions, promotional programming, and innovation placement
Ensure consistent category language and data across all top‑to‑tops and line reviews
Travel to top retail customers to deliver insights and build credibility as a category partner
Assortment, Merchandising & Shelf Optimization
Analyze item level performance to inform optimal assortments by channel and banner
Support recommendations using velocity, incrementality, and portfolio role clarity
Partner with Sales to identify performance unlocks for existing SKUs and justify improved distribution and merchandising support
New Product Development (NPD) & Innovation Support
Provide data driven input into innovation briefs (formats, flavors, price points, etc.)
Evaluate concepts vs category trends, whitespace, and competitor benchmarks to assess US viability
Track post-launch performance vs. velocity and distribution benchmarks
Reporting, Dashboards & Data Enablement
Own recurring syndicated data reporting (monthly performance decks, dashboards, custom reports)
Simplify complex data into clear, decision ready insights for Sales and Marketing
Act as internal expert on syndicated data tools and methodologies
Category Strategy & Market
Develop and maintain a clear POV on the US chocolate category: trends, segments, price tiers, formats, claims, and consumer demand drivers
3–6 years of experience in Category Management, Sales Strategy, or Consumer Insights within CPG
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (V-lookups, Pivot Tables) and PowerPoint
Advanced experience with SPINS, NielsenIQ, Numerator, and at least one retailer‑specific tool (84.51, Scintilla, etc.)
Experience supporting line reviews, JBPs, and innovation sell‑in
Strong communication skills and ability to work in cross functional environments
Ability to work with agility and pivot in a fast-moving environment
Attention to detail: Meticulously combines and inputs data to insure data cleanliness and accuracy
Drives Results: Developing ways to dissect and track data that inspire action
Learns quickly when facing new situations
Solutions-oriented, identifies problems and comes with suggestions and solutions to solve the problem
Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives
Storytelling with data: Turns complex analyses into persuasive, retailer‑ready narratives
Sounds like you?
Are you passionate about making a difference in the world? Look no further! If you're ready to take the chocolate industry to new heights with us, we'd love to hear from you! Please send your direct application, no agencies. We can't wait to hear from you!
Everybody is welcome to apply. From classics to limited editions, we know that different flavors make life more inspiring. And not just in our chocolate assortment. At Tony’s, we welcome everyone with equal enthusiasm – regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, or parental or veteran status.
Tony’s Chocolonely is an impact company that makes chocolate, committed to ending exploitation in cocoa. And not just the cocoa in our chocolate, but in all chocolate worldwide.
Tony's Chocolonely was founded in 2005 by 3 journalists from the Dutch TV show ‘Keuringsdienst van Waarde’ after they discovered that the world’s largest chocolate manufacturers were buying cocoa from plantations that used illegal labor. Since then, we've dedicated our efforts to raising awareness of and eliminating inequality in the cocoa industry, becoming the #1 chocolate brand in the Netherlands.
With incredibly tasty chocolate, we lead by example and show the world that chocolate can be made differently: in taste, packaging and the way we do business with cocoa farmers. Starting with paying them a higher price.
Alone, we’ll end exploitation in our cocoa supply chain, but together we can change the industry across the globe. That's why we invite everyone to join our commitment. 'Cause it's only together that we'll end exploitation in cocoa.
