Associate Category Manager - Food Service

Job Title: Associate Category Manager – Food Service

Reports To: Director of Food Service

FLSA Status: Salary Exempt

Role Type: Full Time

Work Location: Corporate Headquarters – North Charleston, SC

Working Hours: Regular hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Company Summary: Refuel Operating Company, LLC (“Refuel”) is a fast-growing convenience store and fuel operator dedicated to providing great service, fresh food, and a welcoming experience for every guest. Backed by strong growth and a people-first culture, Refuel offers team members the opportunity to build rewarding careers in a supportive environment that values integrity, teamwork, and community. Whether in our stores, offices, or field operations, we empower employees to grow with us, contribute to our success, and make a positive impact in the communities we serve.

Job Summary:

The Associate Category Manager – Food Service is essential in our growth in Foodservice Programs across 200+ stores from Carolina’s to Texas. You will be responsible for the selection of vendors, items, and services to generate sales and drive financial growth. You will work with some of the largest foodservice manufacturers across the US. You will manage the ongoing implementation, execution, maintenance, and measurement of all elements within the category. The Associate Category Manager – Food Service is also responsible for category margin growth, additional manufacturer rebate programs & incentives, accelerating units across subcategories and jointly supporting the entirety of Foodservice with a team mentality.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

- Manages all category expenditures and budgeted targets; manages variances and communicates developments in performance and trends to management.

- Monitors the industry and competitive landscape. Analyzes internal data such as sales and pricing. Identifies patterns and market trends to help refine product strategies.

- Manages and is accountable for the financial performance of the category. Analyzes trends and re-evaluates pricing strategy or cost-of-goods structure as necessary.

- Works with leadership to create cost-reduction strategies and savings plan.

- Increases sales revenues and profits by promotional concepts and overlay programs; develops a category plan.

- Collaborates cross-functionally by developing and maintaining key business relationships and communication with Category Management, Operations, Marketing, Accounting, Business Analysis, and outside vendors or suppliers to effectively manage existing and implement new products, programs, and category initiatives.

- Manages key vendor relationships including but not limited to contract negotiations, rebate processing, and troubleshooting any issues that arise.

- Serves market segments and specific product needs by responding to consumer requests and trends.

- Works with field management to grow the category through effective programs that enhance brand image.

- Represents the category in various cross-functional meetings and manages ad-hoc special projects for the category as necessary.

- Stays up to date with all legislation, regulation changes, and requirements that may affect a product or service in our geographies.

- Adhere to the Company’s established policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook.

- This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions: it does not prescribe all tasks that may be assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: An ideal candidate will have experience with or understanding of:

- Understanding of the retail customer is a must, preferably within the convenience, grocery, truck stop channels, or franchised food platforms.

- Strong oral and written communication skills & the ability to work with others at all levels of the organization.

- Demonstrates urgency to solve issues with strong problem-solving, prioritization, leadership, & time-management skills.

- The ability to develop, organize, & facilitate meetings with clear intention to subordinates and outside departmental leadership.

- Willingness to evaluate, troubleshoot, and implement long-term process and efficiency improvements.

- A desire to never settle for the status quo; consistently thinking how to add more value to Refuel.

- Strong analytical and Excel skills (Power BI & PDI exposure is a plus).

- Passion for food, innovation, and building scalable systems.

- Strong accounting skills and ability to interpret complex financial data.

- Effective project management and decision-making skills.

Education and Experience: An ideal candidate will have the following education and experience:

- Bachelor’s degree in business or related field.

- 2-5 years' experience in foodservice, merchandising, category management, sales, and/or vendor management.

- Experience managing organizational changes to deliver planned results to stakeholders.

- Experience with MS Office Suite, and intermediate to advanced Excel knowledge.

- Category management, foodservice merchandising, or quick service restaurant retail.

Working environment and physical requirements:

- Must be able to lift 25 pounds at times.

- Must be able to remain stationary.

Travel:

- Must be able to travel up to 20%.

At-Will Employment: This position is at-will, which means that either the employee or the Company may terminate employment at any time, with or without advance notice, and with or without cause.

EEO Statement: Refuel is an equal opportunity employer to all applicants and team members. Refuel does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition including genetic characteristics, or any information based on genetic background, family-care status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression where a person’s gender-related appearance and behavior may not be stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. The job duties, responsibilities, requirements, and aspects stated in this job description are not meant to be exhaustive. Additional job duties not listed here may be required. Further, the Company may change or add the job duties, responsibilities, requirements, and aspects listed here at any time in its sole and final discretion.

Version Date: 12/1/2025

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At Refuel, we want to change your view of what to expect from a convenience store. We are investing in technology and building innovative stores to be the brand you trust – for everything you need.

Job Type: fulltime

Education: No education required

Work location: On-site