Manager, Food

About the Role

Total Wine & More is seeking a Manager, Food to join our Merchandising team in Bethesda, MD. In this role, you will oversee buying and category management for all food products, leading the development of assortments, managing supplier relationships, and executing strategies that drive sales, margin, and customer satisfaction. You will manage a team of two direct reports, providing leadership and guidance while ensuring category strategies are executed effectively. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced merchant to shape a growing category through innovation, sourcing, and operational excellence. You will report to the VP, Merchandising. 

You will

• Lead and develop a team of two, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture aligned with Total Wine & More’s core values.
• Develop and implement category strategies for food, leveraging analytics and market insights to meet sales, margin, and profitability targets.
• Manage supplier relationships, negotiating costs, resolving issues, and partnering to deliver differentiated assortments and strong vendor partnerships.
• Identify and source new food products, staying ahead of trends and customer preferences to enhance the in-store experience.
• Support the introduction and growth of private-label food items, partnering with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure successful launches.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Marketing, Promotions, Replenishment, and Store Operations to execute programs and seasonal displays.
• Review category performance, optimizing assortments by eliminating underperforming SKUs and developing tailored assortments for new stores and markets.
• Support visual merchandising initiatives to ensure food assortments are displayed in ways that drive customer engagement and incremental sales.

You will come with

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Supply Chain, or related field.
• 5–7 years of experience in buying, category management, merchandising, or vendor management; food category experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading and developing direct reports.
• Proven ability to analyze sales and margin data, identify opportunities, and make data-driven recommendations.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; Power BI or similar tools preferred.
• Experience building private label products preferred.

We offer

• Paid Time Off (PTO) 
• Generous store discounts 
• Health care plans (medical, prescription, dental, vision) 
• 401(k), HSA, FSA, Pre-tax commuter benefits 
• Disability & life insurance coverage 
• Paid parental leave 
• Pet insurance 
• Critical illness and accident insurance 
• Discounted home and auto insurance 
• College tuition assistance 
• Career development & product training 
• Consumer classes 
• & More! 

Grow with us

Total Wine & More is the country's largest independent retailer of fine wine, beer and spirits, and we continue to grow our footprint year over year. Total Wine offers exciting and unique career opportunities across the country and in our corporate office. Our strength is our people. We have a commitment to training and career growth, all in an environment that values new ideas and teamwork. If you share our entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for providing best-in-class customer experience, take a moment to apply or learn more at https://careers.totalwine.com/!

Total Wine & More considers several factors when establishing compensation. Estimated salaries determined by third parties have not been validated by Total Wine & More. Compensation may vary based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, market location, job-related knowledge, skills and/or experience.

Total Wine & More is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Total Wine & More makes reasonable accommodations during all aspects of the employment process, including during the interview process. Total Wine & More is a Drug Free Workplace. 

The information provided above indicates the general nature and level of work required of the position and is not a comprehensive list of all responsibilities or qualifications. Benefits list is only a highlight of some of the benefits offered to team members; eligibility for certain benefits apply.

Pay Range: $101,520.00 – 171,000.00 USD Annually