Who We Are
Entrepreneurial | Expertise | Exclusivity | Empowerment
- We are entrepreneurial growth agents for our clients and our company
- With over 35 years of experience through our parent company, PLM, we have partnered closely with Kroger in private label, merchandising, and operations
- We operate exclusively at Kroger, where our team members are deeply versed in Kroger’s strategy, systems, data, personnel, and, most importantly, in influencing key decisions
- As an employee-owned company, we answer to our employees and clients — not to Wall Street or equity investors —allowing us to stay agile and prioritize what’s right for our people, our business and our clients
What We Do
three sixty Merchandising Solutions specializes in the strategic expansion of CPG client product portfolios at Kroger, America’s leading grocery retailer. We provide a wealth of merchandising expertise and vast brokerage capabilities in essentially every aspect of grocery retailing.
- Relationship Management
- Category Management
- Insights & Analytics
- Space Optimization
- Promotional Planning
- Administration
Position Summary
Lead and grow a portfolio of CPG clients at Kroger: Be the voice of your client’s business to Kroger, representing their business needs and aligning strategies to Kroger’s. Leverage both your expertise and that of the three sixty team enabling clients to reach their sales goals and stated objectives through pricing strategies, promotions, innovation support, and sales plans aimed at achieving financial & strategic targets.
- Relationship management: Lead and expand client engagement, serving as their primary advocate within Kroger
- Establish trusted advisor status with the clients you represent
- Cultivate relationships with key Kroger stakeholders that directly impact the client’s business
- Facilitate effective communications with clients, Kroger, and internal teams
- Anticipate and resolve challenges for the clients you represent proactively
- Business Development: Drive growth and profitability
- Proactively grow the portfolio of clients and drive commission revenue within your categories
- Optimize team efficiency by developing strategies and recommendations to enhance team effectiveness
- Insights & Analytics: Use data-driven insights to inform strategic business decisions
- Identify opportunities by analyzing promotions, sales, margin and supply/distribution data
- Implement communication practices that create transparencies and efficiencies for clients and Kroger
- Promotional Planning: Develop data driven strategies and plans that drive client growth
- Provide analytical, technical and administrative support for our clients ensuring plans are aligned with Kroger’s goals
- Increase the quantity and quality of the client portfolio in the Kroger weekly sales plan; utilize category trends and consumer data to recommend opportunities that include new items, promotions, product placement, and packaging
- Communicate the sales plans and strategies to the stakeholders at three sixty, PLM, and Kroger facilitating successful execution of promotional and merchandising activities
- KOMPASS and innovation: Support the development of new item presentations
- Recommend new product introductions and additional merchandising opportunities for clients
- Support clients in aligning product lines strategies with Kroger category objectives
- Provide expert category and brand analysis from data available from multiple Kroger systems and syndicated sources (84.51, Market 6, Circana, Spins, Mintel, etc.
- Administration: Oversee timely & flawless administrative support
- Oversee the support team in the administration of systems, tools and forms in support of your client’s needs
- Provide continuous supervision, feedback and direction to three sixty employees reporting directly to you
- Industry voice of three sixty: Professionally represent and promote three sixty
- Enhance and grow your industry expertise in all facets of the grocery industry
- Professionally represent three sixty Merchandising Solutions and your categories to Kroger Senior Management and the overarching industry
This position is Hybrid and will be required to work in our Corporate Office two days per week based on your team’s schedule
Minimum Position Qualifications
- 4-year degree in Business Marketing, Operations, Economics or equivalent education preferred
- Proven experience working in merchandising/sales within the Kroger ecosystem
- Proficient Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint
- Capacity to learn multiple computer systems and web-based applications
- Strong leadership, coaching and management skills
- Capability to collaborate with others and contribute effectively to a team
- Expert organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Highly motivated self-starter who can work with minimal supervision
- Ability to effectively craft and deliver a message to senior level executives
- Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, prioritize and multi-task
Desired Previous Job Experience
- A blend of grocery merchandising and data analysis experience are desired.
- Relevant grocery experience in a merchandising capacity.
- Demonstrated and documented accomplishments in the areas of category sales, marketing, management, product development, negotiations, vendor relations, procurement, distribution and merchandising.
Minimum Physical Abilities - Must be able to:
- Remain standing/sitting for several hours at a time
- Lift 10-30 lbs. occasionally
- Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation
Competencies/Skills
Some of the Competencies/Skills required to successfully perform this position are:
- Adaptability – maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or the work environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures
- Building Strategic Working Relationships – developing and using collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals
- Building Trust – interacting with Kroger employees, customers and suppliers in a way that gives Kroger Division and Corporate Management confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
- Communication – clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in the English language
- Customer Focus – making Kroger customers and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions; developing and sustaining productive relationships with Kroger employees as well as the suppliers that we represent
- Decision Making – identifying and understanding issues, problems and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
- Inclusion – appreciating and leveraging the capabilities, insights and ideas of all individuals; working effectively with individuals of diverse style, ability and motivation for a direct effect on business results
- Initiating Action – taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive; generating innovative solutions in work situations
- Leadership – ability to recognize and provide training opportunities; give clear direction to accomplish assigned tasks; hold others to high standards of accountability and address issues when needed in a way that encourages, not discourages the employee.
- Negotiation – effectively exploring alternatives and positions to reach outcomes that gain the support and acceptance of all parties.
- Self-Starter – working the majority of the time without direct supervision; prioritizing, organizing and completing workload accurately within allotted time period
- Work Standards – setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence
