CATEGORY MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM - June 1 - 24, 2021

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT
 CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

       June 1 - 24, 2021

ABOUT
This Certificate Program is ideal for Category
Managers at small to medium size retailers who
are looking to hone the necessary skills to deliver
better outcomes for their business. The program
offers a comprehensive approach to embed
discipline into your daily routine with eight
engaging sessions taught by leading industry
experts.

The David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and
Services is part of the Sobey School of Business at Saint
Mary’s University. It is a unique retail-focused centre
that concentrates on research, innovation and
education to support the Canadian retail sector. Learn
more about the centre at www.davidsobeycentre.ca.

    COURSE SKILL
    DEVELOPMENT
When you successfully complete this course you
will be able to:

 1. Create a fully integrated Category
    Management practice that will deliver better
    overall results for your company.
 2. Become more disciplined in your approach to
    Category Management.
 3. Use enhanced data analytics in category
   analysis, merchandising, promotions and
   pricing to improve decision making.
 4. Improve merchandising execution at store
   level.
 5. Better leverage partnerships with suppliers.

Help your Category Managers deliver
 more dollars to your bottom line.

PROGRAM OUTLINE
Day 1: Introduction to Category Management and Category Analysis Overview
Tuesday, June 1: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: This session will introduce the concept of Category Management and how it contributes to
the overall success of your business. The alignment of category strategies with the retailer's business
strategy will be explored. We will discuss how Category Management is evolving in the data-driven,
omnichannel retail world. Finally, we will see how to set objectives and frame your decisions by
reviewing a category analysis. This session will provide the foundation for the rest of the program.

Day 2: Consumer Behaviour and Consumer Insights
Thursday, June 3: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: As consumer expectations rise and consumers increasingly take control of the brand
experience, category managers need deep customer insights and need to be more customer-centric.
In this session, we will explore consumer behavior to understand how and why consumers make the
decisions they do. We will investigate market segmentation methods and the alignment of category
decisions to target markets; the forces that influence consumer behavior and the consumer decision-
making process. We will explore how retailers can influence consumer behavior. Syndicated data
sources that support category management decisions and biometric tools that provide shopper
insights will be demonstrated.

Day 3: Retail Flyers and Analytical Models
Tuesday, June 8: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: Driving footsteps to your doorstep is the key to creating sustainable business growth.
That's why the flyer is such a focus for every Category Manager. In this session, we will help you
maximize the benefit of the flyer to your customers by demonstrating the best flyer planning practices
including flyer analysis and ad recap models to measure performance. Stefan Read from Jackman will
also demonstrate how Consumer Insights research can help guide Category Management practices to
deliver optimal results.

Day 4: Merchandising Strategies, Promotional Planning and Analysis
Thursday, June 10: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: Driving impulse sales at store level is the key to surpassing your category objectives. We
will take an in-depth look at best practices around in-store promotional planning and off-shelf
merchandising. This session will also review the importance of private labels and exclusive products to
not only increase gross profit but to differentiate your company and keep customers loyal. Finally, you
will learn how to develop Category Strategies and understand why they are the nucleus to driving
success in your category.

Day 5: Strategic Pricing Models and e-Commerce
Tuesday, June 15: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: Pricing strategy is important in so many ways. Not only should it reinforce your banner
positioning, but it also plays a huge role in influencing purchase decisions and can really assist with
Category Objectives. This day will additionally look at seasonal items and the role they play in a
category as well as how e-commerce best fits into the mix for Category Managers.

Day 6: Negotiating and Collaborating for Optimal Supplier Relationships
Thursday, June 17: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: Retail and CPG Executive, Steve Keenan is the perfect person to take you through this
session on negotiation. He will give you all of the tips and tricks of how to get the best cost while
developing collaborative relationships with your suppliers. Steve will also review the keys for
creating winning supplier contracts and how to work with them to develop the best promotional
grids. Have your questions ready for someone who has been on both sides of the desk!

Day 7: Markdown Schedules, Planograms and Supplier Partners
Tuesday, June 22: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: New products help create excitement for your customers. We will take you through
how to best evaluate new product proposals and the benefit they provide. Plus, our instructors will
review the markdowns and how they reduce the profitability drain that they can create. The
session will finish with two guest CPG executives who will talk about what tools and resources they
can provide to help you succeed in your goals for your category.

Day 8: Category Reviews
Thursday, June 24: 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. EST

Summary: In our final session we will bring it all together by taking you through a Category
Review process, including a thorough Category Analysis. Our experts will show you how to
assemble the right data together in a way that can offer great insights that lead to positive action.

Facilitated by industry experts with
    invaluable retail experience

INSTRUCTORS

                                                  MARK INNES
Mark Innes is a SMU MBA graduate with over 30 years as a retail leader in world class food, drug and mass
organizations such as Loblaws, Empire, Target and Pharmasave. His retail journey has enabled him to gain
senior leadership experience in marketing, merchandising and operations, and he has applied his skills, helping
organizations successfully adapt, change and grow in their respective segment. Through it all Mark has always
maintained his thirst for learning which makes him a great fit in his current role as Executive in Residence.
Mark is passionate about helping the David Sobey Centre for Retailing Excellence and Innovation grow its
presence to become one of the leading retail universities in Canada by creating opportunities for student and
faculty to work directly with retailers on pivotal projects.

                                             DR. RAMESH VENKAT
Dr. Ramesh Venkat is the Director of the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services and an
Associate Professor of Marketing. He was formerly Associate Dean of Masters Programs and Director of the
Sobey MBA Program. He has published over 50 articles and reports on topics such as online marketing,
customer engagement, customer satisfaction, customer experience and brand strategy. Ramesh is the author
book on online marketing. He has co-authored chapters in several marketing books. He is working on a
forthcoming book on brand strategy in a digital marketplace. Through his company CeQuotia, Ramesh offers
customer experience measurement and retail analytics solutions

MARK YATES
With an analytics and project management career spanning more than 20 years at companies such as Loblaws,
Empire, Citco and Eastlink, Mark has been called the “go to person” for businesses and organizations needing
assistance in transforming data into powerful easy to understand useful information for informed decision
making. He has serviced a broad spectrum of analytical needs for companies ranging from small independently
owned start ups to large multi-national corporations, as either in-house representation or outside consulting
counsel. Mark has extensive experience applying statistical methodologies coupled with project management
principles to successfully implement problem solving solutions; effectively meeting or exceeding the
expectations of all stakeholders. These standards are applied through the set-up and training of organizations
in using their data for a more tactical planning approach, thus improving results. His experience has been
predicated upon various industry sectors including, grocery, gas and oil, exhibition entertainment,
telecommunications, hedge fund administration, manufacturing and pharmacy operations.

                                                LYNN CAIGER
As a past Trade Marketing Manager at Best Foods and current Category Insights Team Leader at Unilever
Canada, Lynn has spent over 25 years in the Canadian CPG industry. She brings great passion and experience
gained through her various leadership roles in Customer and Strategy Development, Category Management
and Shopper Marketing. In addition to leading the Digital Transformation agenda which is focused on
leveraging new technologies to deliver deeper insight and better decision making in the areas of Category and
Shopper Insight, Customer Analytics, and Net Revenue Management, Lynn also leads the Change Management
and Talent pillars of the Customer Development organization. Lynn believes in continuous learning and has
recently earned a certificate in Digital Strategy from the University of British Columbia and has completed an
Artificial Intelligence program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lynn loves to travel, spend time
with family and is a volunteer Wish Grantor with the Make a Wish Foundation.

STEFAN READ
Stefan is an experienced management consultant specializing in business strategy and customer experience. In
his ten years as a consultant to retailers, Stefan has led teams across a wide number of sectors and disciplines
including customer research and segmentation, offer design, pricing, business strategy, organizational design,
and financial analysis. Today, Stefan leads the Thought Leadership function at Jackman as well as directing
several client engagements.

                                                JASON MOORE
After graduating from Saint Mary's University in 1993, Jason started his career at Loblaw Companies
introducing groundbreaking merchandising strategies before moving to the US to earn his MBA at Pepperdine's
Graziadio School of Business. He spent the next four years dramatically growing market share for Danone
International Brands’ spring water, relocating to New York, Chicago and Toronto before returning to Los
Angeles. He has remained in Los Angeles and has spent the last 18 years with Keurig Dr. Pepper in a variety of
sales and marketing positions, helping drive their convenience and fountain business across the US. His
current role is Senior Director of National Accounts with responsibility for the Albertsons grocery chain (2nd
largest retail grocer in the US), a $539 million account.

                                               STEVEN KEENAN
Steve is a CPG executive with 20+ years experience in Sales Strategy, Trade Marketing, Project Management
and Category Management. He has developed superior negotiating and problem solving skills coupled with a
strong drive to deliver a competitive advantage for retail accounts within their arena. Providing total category
solutions for both the account and all competitors in a category is a winning combination. Understanding
different perspectives is key in negotiating successful partnerships which he has accomplished with both
retailers and competitors. Steve uncovers the nuances in formulating a solid base for negotiating that leads to
sucessful category strategies. His experience spans across multiple channels including grocery, mass, drug,
convenience and foodservice.

CERTIFICATION
Participants will be awarded an official
certificate in Category Management upon
completion of all eight sessions and a final
exam passing grade of at least 80%.
Participants will be given 1.5 hours to
complete the online, multiple-choice
exam.

        REGISTRATION
Cost:
$2,500 + 15% HST

Discount:
$250 off per person if registering
3 or more participants

To Register:
Please email davidsobeycentre@smu.ca

                             www.davidsobeycentre.ca