Analyst - Category & Channel

Where people thrive, partners grow and innovation takes shape Category & Channel Analyst Location: Troy, MI Reports To: Vice President, Marketing & Product Development Employment Type: Full Time/Exempt Remote/Hybrid/On-Site: Hybrid Direct Reports: None Travel: +/- 5% (Minimal - As business needs require) Who We Are We are thrilled that you are considering joining CREO Group, where people thrive, partners grow and innovation takes shape. CREO Group is a leading consumer product, nursery, supply company. While others make plastic, we build relationships. As both a full-service designer and manufacturer, we offer a wide range of national and private-label products while delivering the flexibility, quality, and innovation our partners expect. At CREO, work is more than a job - it is a journey. Our mission is to be the market-leading provider of innovative container solutions that enhance everyday living. We partner with our customers to deliver best-in-class, high-quality, and environmentally responsible products through disciplined operational execution. Powered by an engaged, high-performing team, we create enduring value for our employees, partners, and the communities we serve. Being part of CREO means joining a community that celebrates collaboration and thrives on the diverse strengths of our people. You’ll work alongside colleagues who bring unique experiences, perspectives, and skills to the table, and together, we’ll achieve more than we could alone. www.creogroup.com CREO offers eligible full-time employees competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, paid time off and holidays. Many health and welfare benefits are available after 30 days of continuous employment. Our 401K offers a generous match, with vesting and eligibility beginning after 90 days of continuous employment. Position Overview The Category & Channel Analyst helps CREO’s Sales and Category Management teams make informed decisions through clear, accurate, and useful reporting. With equal emphasis on customer and channel performance and product and category performance, this role builds Excel analyses and Power BI dashboards, standardizes retailer POS data, and serves as the business owner of Salsify, CREO’s product information management system. The ideal candidate combines strong technical skills with excellent listening, curiosity, and commercial judgment. They uncover the business question behind a request and create intuitive tools that anticipate users’ needs and help business owners develop insights and determine actions. Key Responsibilities Understand business needs. Listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and clarify how users will apply the information. Translate ambiguous requests into practical solutions, using early prototypes to confirm direction and recommending useful context beyond the initial request. Support Sales and Category Management. Develop customer, channel, category, and SKU reporting covering shipments, POS, revenue, margin, pricing, promotions, and product mix. Enable comparisons against prior periods and plans, and support customer line reviews, assortment assessments, and business planning. Build effective reporting. Create and maintain Power BI reports using established datasets and models, alongside flexible Excel analyses. Design clear charts, tables, filters, and drilldowns that help users explore performance independently. Normalize retailer POS data. Build repeatable processes to ingest varying retailer Excel files, standardize fields and reporting periods, and map retailer items to CREO products for Power BI reporting. Validate completeness and accuracy, resolve exceptions, and document retailer-specific definitions. Own Salsify business administration. Maintain product attributes, hierarchies, and identifiers; configure queries, filters, and exports; and coordinate data-quality improvements with information owners. Partner with IT and providers to ensure system connections work reliably. Advance data capabilities. Identify missing data, define requirements, advocate with IT for prioritized additions, and validate delivered functionality. Improve adoption and reliability. Reconcile outputs, investigate discrepancies, document definitions, and streamline recurring reporting. Gather feedback and help users apply the tools effectively. Experience & Education Demonstrated experience in commercial reporting or analytics supporting sales, category management, retail, or related teams. Strong hands-on Power BI report development and visualization skills; advanced Excel, including PivotTables, lookup and conditional formulas, and Power Query. Experience cleaning, transforming, and combining inconsistent data files into repeatable reporting processes. Excellent listening and requirements discovery skills, with the ability to translate loosely defined needs into useful solutions and incorporate feedback efficiently. Understanding of revenue, units, gross margin, pricing, and product mix; strong attention to accuracy and ability to manage competing priorities. PIM administration, Salsify, major-retailer POS, and consumer products or manufacturing experience preferred. Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience. What Success Looks LikeBoth Sales and Category Management regularly use accurate, timely reporting; users answer more questions independently; manual preparation and avoidable rework decline; and retailer POS data and Salsify information remain reliable and useful. Performance Expectations and Core Competencies All CREO Group Employees are expected to: CREO Core Value Core Competency Collaboration Teamwork, Communication, Customer Focus Respect Integrity, Inclusion, Professionalism Empowerment Accountability, Results Orientation, Decision Making Opportunity Innovation, Learning Agility, Adaptability, Continuous Improvement Role-specific competencies include: Customer Partnership: Builds trusted working relationships and responds with urgency, accuracy, and professionalism. Analytical Thinking: Evaluates complex data, recognizes patterns and exceptions, and reaches well-supported conclusions. Inventory and Replenishment Discipline: Balances customer demand, service, lead times, and inventory investment when recommending actions. Business Acumen: Understands how sales, inventory, service, margin, and operational constraints influence account performance. Communication and Influence: Delivers clear messages, facilitates productive meetings, and aligns stakeholders without relying on direct authority. Accountability: Owns commitments, maintains accurate work, anticipates risks, and follows actions through completion. Continuous Improvement: Identifies practical opportunities to improve reporting, processes, and business outcomes. Demonstrate the CREO Core Values of Collaboration, Respect, Empowerment, and Opportunity in all interactions. Support the Company's Value Creation Plan through Commercial Innovation, End Market Expansion, Operational Execution, and Nurture Our Team. Promote a culture where people thrive, partners grow, and innovation takes shape. Perform work safely, ethically, efficiently, and with a commitment to continuous improvement. Contribute positively to the success of One CREO by working collaboratively across all functions and locations. Physical Requirements/Work Environment Office and Customer Support Environment The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods while performing office-related tasks. Frequently operate a computer, keyboard, mouse, telephone, and other standard office equipment. Frequently communicate with employees, customers, and business partners in person, by telephone, and through electronic communications. Must be able to exchange accurate information. Occasionally move throughout the office to attend meetings, access files, and interact with coworkers. Occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull office materials or equipment weighing up to 15 pounds. Occasionally bend, stoop, reach, or kneel to retrieve files or office supplies. Ability to read documents, computer screens, and printed materials with or without reasonable accommodation. Ability to travel occasionally, if required for the position. Employees regularly work in an office or non-manufacturing environment that may include: Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment. The noise level is generally moderate. The position may require occasional work outside normal business hours to meet business needs. Employees may occasionally be required to attend meetings or training at other company locations. The position may require occasional visits to manufacturing, distribution, or customer locations. Employees must follow all site-specific safety requirements and wear required personal protective equipment when entering operational areas. CREO Group reserves the right to revise or update this job description as needed to better comply with the actual essential function of the job requirements as business needs dictate. CREO Group is an E-Verify and Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. The Company provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Individuals who require accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job or to participate in the application process should notify Human Resources. Compensation: Salary Range/Pay Rate: $72,000 - $85,000