Katie Ciepierski
Crystal Lake,IL
Summary
Dynamic and successful marketing, category development and sales leader with progressively increasing responsibilities at Fortune 500 companies. Skilled in developing strategies that leverage facts and data, include cross-functional collaboration and persuasively communicate final strategies and tactics for team execution. Proven ability to develop and implement creative marketing strategies that increase market share, strengthen brand equity, and boost loyalty.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Category Management
PepsiCo
12.2014 - 05.2015
- Collaborated with cross functional partners to develop and present hot cereal and snack bars innovation development strategy for executive Sales & Marketing council. Compared shelf space limitations to robust pipeline in order to determine innovation development priority.
- Co-led Talent Transformation team. Developed several pillars for implementation in 2015 including: 360 feedback program and manager training. Planned Quaker wide onboarding system. Led communication sub-committee and effort to gather, post & promote personal development materials on Larry’s world.
- Leveraged consumer and shopper insights to create Healthy Morning breakfast solution for the snack bars and on-the-go categories including shelf placement and internal sell strategy.
Senior Category Manager- Business Unit
PepsiCo
12.2013 - 12.2014
- Led hot cereal/snack bars insights for strategic playbook. Developed and internally presented stories to support core business including: Summer Snacking, Back to School, Dual Standard Oatmeal Strategy, and Hots premium price tier story.
- Created and presented sales story to grow hot cereal section by 4 ft or 33%. Identified productivity opportunities to reduce unproductive cold cereal tail and re-distribute space to hot cereal.
- Created and presented several Win At The Shelf execution strategy decks supporting new consumer decision trees and utilizing the latest consumer, shopper and category insights. Leveraged category trends to show snack bars have significant growth opportunity that is not being realized.
- Selected as one of thirty women across Pepsico organization to participate in the Pinnacle program. Engaged with various Pepsico leaders on topics and projects designed to catapult career to executive level.
Category Manager- Business Unit
PepsiCo
09.2011 - 12.2013
- Leveraged syndicated and third party data sources (Mintel, Kantar) to create and internally present sell stories for new snack bars/hot cereal innovation including: Protein Bars, Real Medleys, Fruit Pairings, & Protein.
- Created and presented solution driven sell stories including Warm & Crunchy gold standard placement story for Raleys, Better Oats story for Winn Dixie, & Apple Cranberry instant oatmeal sell story for Safeway.
- Created sku rat swap out analysis for snack bars and hot cereal. Analysis determined sales and shelf impact of recommended skus. Worked with field to ensure no space was lost on shelf as a result of the discontinuations.
Category Development Manager- Giant Eagle, Roundys, Schnucks
The Hershey Company
12.2009 - 09.2011
- Developed and presented strategy that led Giant Eagle to place king size items in the most productive space (over the belt) on the front ends. First food retailer nationally to do this.
- Developed and presented cross category insights that led to a +15% expansion of candy space on the front ends at Giant Eagle, and an additional +16 Hershey items in distribution.
- Designed and persuaded Giant Eagle and Roundys to implement planogram organized by usage occasion. Led to sales increases in take home everyday candy of 6% and 8%, respectively.
- Developed lane blocker solution for express checklanes and convinced Giant Eagle to implement. Led to instant consumable sales increases of +13.8% in stores with a lane blocker vs those without.
Category Development Manager- West Grocery
The Hershey Company
06.2008 - 12.2009
- Led effort to secure +7 new Hershey items on Save A Lot gondola and optimize shelving schematic. Convinced retailer to expand their branded presence, despite historical focus on lower end items, leading to category growth of 21% and Hershey growth of 37%.
- Developed new strategy for Save A Lot check-lane. Convinced retailer to replace king size candy bars with regular; contributed to category dollar growth of +55%, unit sales +118%.
- Influenced Shopko to reset gondola using vertical usage occasion layout. Transformed set by reducing premium and peg space in order to grow candy dish space +11% and movie and snacking +6% to align with corporate strategy. Gained +20 (net) Hershey items.
Category Analyst- Refrigerated Breakfast
Sara Lee Foods Corporation
05.2006 - 06.2008
- Mined, analyzed, and presented data that led to new Jimmy Dean bacon strategy.
- Collaborated with Marketing and Consumer insights group in building new item presentations to support the rollout of Fully Cooked Hot Patties, Turkey Links, and Jimmy Dean bacon expansion.
- Identified opportunities and presented internally to maximize trade dollar efficiency by developing regional base/promoted pricing bandwidths for roll sausage. Research uncovered sub-optimal pricing and significant trade dollar spend inefficiencies.
- Led cross functional team in developing plan to enhance the shopper interface and experience in the total refrigerated meat aisle for Sara Lee’s top 10 customers including Walmart, Kroger, and Safeway.
Associate Category Analyst- Wal-Mart Team
Hormel Foods
01.2006 - 05.2006
- Review ACNielsen topline and regional trends to identify and present SWOT analysis internally.
- Analyze market basket reports to influence consumer buying patterns and opportunities for Walmart categories.
- Utilize SPECTRA and AC Nielsen programs to deliver actionable insights to Wal-Mart.
Retail Sales Representative
Hormel Foods
06.2005 - 01.2006
- Accountable for retail level sales at 80 HyVee and AWG stores. Built relationships, end cap/secondary displays, closed distribution voids and introduced new products.
- Ranked #1 Hormel Foods sales trainee - 2005.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Marketing
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO01.2005
Timeline
Director of Category Management
PepsiCo
12.2014 - 05.2015
Senior Category Manager- Business Unit
PepsiCo
12.2013 - 12.2014
Category Manager- Business Unit
PepsiCo
09.2011 - 12.2013
Category Development Manager- Giant Eagle, Roundys, Schnucks
The Hershey Company
12.2009 - 09.2011
Category Development Manager- West Grocery
The Hershey Company
06.2008 - 12.2009
Category Analyst- Refrigerated Breakfast
Sara Lee Foods Corporation
05.2006 - 06.2008
Associate Category Analyst- Wal-Mart Team
Hormel Foods
01.2006 - 05.2006
Retail Sales Representative
Hormel Foods
06.2005 - 01.2006
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Marketing
University of Missouri
Similar Profiles
TALHA AHMED SHAIKHTALHA AHMED SHAIKH
Intern at PepsiCoIntern at PepsiCo
GRANT KENNEDY ADAMSGRANT KENNEDY ADAMS
Distribution Beverage Specialist at PepsiCoDistribution Beverage Specialist at PepsiCo
Lindsay JacobyLindsay Jacoby
Seasonal Account Merchandiser at PepsiCoSeasonal Account Merchandiser at PepsiCo
Isaac SalasIsaac Salas
Inventory Control Specialist at PepsiCoInventory Control Specialist at PepsiCo
Katherine OlsenKatherine Olsen
Store Manager at Victoria's Secret & PINKStore Manager at Victoria's Secret & PINK