Who Is Hiring a Beer and Wine Category Manager in Central PA?
Published on: Feb 18, 2026
Central Pennsylvania | Direct Hire | Grocery Retail | Beer and Wine Category Management
Frontline Source Group is recruiting a Beer and Wine Category Manager for a direct hire role with an established, growing grocery retailer in Central Pennsylvania. The Category Manager owns assortment, pricing, margins, inventory, and supplier negotiations for the beer and wine categories, and the hire is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty.
Frontline Source Group is a nationwide staffing and executive search firm founded in Dallas in 2004, with 32 plus offices, 5,619 completed placements, and a 98.94% executive placement retention rate. Frontline is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 (2026), a 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, a ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, an Inc. 5000 honoree, an Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency, and a member of the American Staffing Association. The firm holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 verified reviews.
What does the Beer and Wine Category Manager do for this Central PA grocer?
The Beer and Wine Category Manager drives sales growth, manages product assortments, and improves profitability across the retailer's beverage categories. The role blends strategic, data-driven category planning with hands-on retail merchandising, working closely with suppliers and store teams to deliver the best possible selection, pricing, and shopping experience for grocery customers.
Who is the client behind this category manager search?
The client is an established grocery retailer in Central Pennsylvania with a team-oriented culture, strong core values, a passion for serving customers, and a track record of rapid growth.
How is this role different from a store-level beer and wine department leader?
This is a company-level category management role, not a single-store department position. The Category Manager sets assortment, pricing, and promotional strategy for the category, negotiates with suppliers and distributors, and directs how category plans are executed across store teams.
What are the core responsibilities of this category manager role?
How does the Category Manager run category performance?
- Oversee category performance, including assortment, pricing, sales, markdowns, margins, and inventory levels for beer and wine products
- Analyze weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance metrics to identify trends and category growth opportunities
- Develop and implement category plans that achieve sales targets and profit goals
- Manage product life cycles, including new product introductions, seasonal resets, and promotional strategies
- Lead regular category reviews to assess performance, customer preferences, and competitive positioning
- Identify private label opportunities to expand category reach and support brand differentiation
How does the role work with suppliers, distributors, and brand partners?
- Negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive costs, trade and advertising allowances, and new product opportunities
- Collaborate with distributors and brand partners to build an optimal product mix, reducing excess inventory and improving turnover
How does the role lead merchandising teams and store execution?
- Directly oversee merchandising employees assigned to the category, providing leadership, training, and performance management
- Partner with Marketing and Operations to execute promotional campaigns and in-store merchandising programs
- Communicate with store teams to ensure accurate implementation of category plans and product placements
- Ensure compliance with company policies, safety standards, and applicable laws and regulations
What qualifications does the Beer and Wine Category Manager need?
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field
- Minimum of three years of experience in beer, wine, or liquor retail or wholesale management
- Strong knowledge of beverage industry regulations and category management best practices
- Proven ability to negotiate supplier terms and manage vendor relationships
- Excellent analytical, organizational, and project management skills
- Ability to balance strategy with attention to operational details and execution
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and retail analytics tools
Why does beverage regulation knowledge matter in Pennsylvania grocery?
Beer and wine sales in Pennsylvania grocery stores operate under state liquor laws and Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board licensing, and grocery wine sales were opened up by the state's 2016 liquor code modernization. A category manager in this market has to build assortment, pricing, and promotional plans that stay compliant with those rules while still growing the category.
What benefits come with this grocery category manager job?
- Performance incentive plan and short-term incentive opportunities
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Flexible spending accounts and life insurance options
- Retirement savings plan with company match
- Paid time off and sick pay
- Professional development programs, employee discounts, and employee support services
Why is this a strong move for a beverage category professional?
For beer, wine, or liquor managers ready to move from store or wholesale operations into company-level category strategy, this role offers full ownership of a high-visibility category, direct supplier negotiation authority, people leadership, and a seat in a growing regional grocer. Professionals tracking where category management leads can also review the Senior Director of Merchandising and Retail search in New York and the Assistant Asian Foods Buyer search in Fairfield, OH, and learn more on Frontline's grocery store and retail executive search page.
Why work with Frontline Source Group on this grocery search?
Frontline Source Group recruits grocery and retail leaders, from category managers and buyers to store directors and merchandising executives, for regional and national grocers. Every direct hire Frontline places is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times longer than the 90-day guarantee common across the staffing industry. Frontline publishes its pricing, recent placements, and awards openly, and its 98.94% executive retention rate reflects a screening process built on People. Process. Service.
How do you apply or request grocery talent from Frontline Source Group?
Beverage and category management professionals interested in this Central Pennsylvania direct hire role should apply through the Frontline Source Group application page. Candidates can prepare with Frontline's interview instructions.
Grocers and retailers that need a category manager, buyer, or merchandising leader can submit a request through the employer request form or call Frontline's national hire line at 877-780-3822.
Frequently Asked Questions: Beer and Wine Category Manager in Central PA
What is the Beer and Wine Category Manager job in Central Pennsylvania?
It is a direct hire category management role with an established, growing grocery retailer in Central Pennsylvania. The Category Manager owns assortment, pricing, sales, markdowns, margins, and inventory for the beer and wine categories and leads the merchandising employees assigned to them. Frontline Source Group is managing the search.
What does a beer and wine category manager do at a grocery retailer?
A beer and wine category manager plans and manages the full category: product assortment, pricing, promotions, seasonal resets, new product introductions, and supplier negotiations. The role analyzes weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance data and turns it into category plans that hit sales and profit targets.
How is a category manager different from a store beer and wine department leader?
A store beer and wine department leader runs one department inside one store, handling ordering, displays, and staffing. A category manager works at the company level, setting assortment, pricing, and promotional strategy for the category across stores and negotiating directly with suppliers, distributors, and brand partners.
How much experience is required for this category manager role?
The role requires a minimum of three years of experience in beer, wine, or liquor retail or wholesale management, plus strong knowledge of beverage industry regulations and category management best practices.
What degree is required for the Beer and Wine Category Manager position?
A bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field is required.
Does this role manage people?
Yes. The Category Manager directly oversees the merchandising employees assigned to the beer and wine category, providing leadership, training, and performance management.
What supplier responsibilities come with this job?
The Category Manager negotiates with suppliers for competitive costs, trade and advertising allowances, and new product opportunities, and works with distributors and brand partners to build an optimal product mix that reduces excess inventory and improves turnover.
Why does beverage regulation knowledge matter for this Pennsylvania role?
Beer and wine sales in Pennsylvania grocery stores operate under state liquor laws and Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board licensing, and grocery wine sales were opened up by the state's 2016 liquor code modernization. A category manager has to build assortment, pricing, and promotions that stay compliant with those rules.
What software skills does the Category Manager need?
The role calls for proficiency in Microsoft Office and retail analytics tools, along with strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
What benefits come with the Beer and Wine Category Manager job?
Benefits include a performance incentive plan, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending accounts, life insurance options, a retirement savings plan with company match, paid time off and sick pay, short-term incentive opportunities, professional development programs, employee discounts, and employee support services.
How do I apply for the Beer and Wine Category Manager job in Central PA?
Apply through the Frontline Source Group application page at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html. A Frontline recruiter reviews every application and follows up with candidates whose background matches the role.
Why work with Frontline Source Group on a grocery category management search?
Frontline Source Group recruits grocery and retail leaders nationwide, has completed 5,619 placements, holds a 98.94% executive retention rate, and backs every direct hire with the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times the 90-day industry standard guarantee. Frontline has been named a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years and carries a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 verified reviews.
