Category manager with 8 years in procurement for a national restaurant group, owning food and packaging categories worth $210M. Delivered 4.5% annual cost reduction while improving supplier fill rates to 98%. Brings commodity strategy, market analysis and contract negotiation backed by clear cost models.
Experience
Category Manager, Proteins and Packaging, Copper Kettle Restaurant Group (Dallas, TX)
Sep 2021 – Present
Own proteins and packaging categories worth $210M a year for 640 restaurants
Delivered 4.5% average annual cost reduction through formula pricing tied to USDA market indexes
Shifted 40% of packaging spend to fiber-based alternatives, meeting state PFAS bans 6 months early
Raised distributor fill rates from 94% to 98% by adding 2 secondary chicken suppliers
Lead quarterly business reviews with 8 strategic suppliers covering cost, fill rate, food safety and innovation
A strong Category Manager resume shows throughput, cost and reliability across the operations or supply chain you ran. Show the organization you ran (team size, budget, revenue) and the business results you are accountable for.
Sections, in order
Summary
Experience
Skills
Certifications
Education
Length: Two pages are common for leadership roles; keep the first page strong enough to stand alone.
Summary: Lead with your leadership scope and the business outcomes you are known for.
Skills to feature
Supply chain planning
Inventory management
Logistics and distribution
Lean and Six Sigma
Vendor management
ERP and WMS systems
Demand forecasting
Process improvement
Safety and compliance
Data analysis
Example bullet points
Raised on-time delivery from 88% to 97% across 3 warehouses by redesigning pick routes
Reduced inventory carrying cost by $1.8M while keeping a 98% fill rate through SKU rationalization
Led a Lean program that cut order cycle time by 35% and recordable incidents to zero for 18 months
Tips from recruiters
State the scale you ran: sites, SKUs, shipments, budget or team size.
List certifications such as APICS CSCP, PMP or Six Sigma belts.
Name the systems you used (SAP, Oracle, Manhattan); they are common keyword filters.
Recommended templates
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Compact (ATS-friendly): Dense single column that fits long histories
Modern (ATS-friendly): Clean single column with accent headings and rules
Category Manager resume FAQ
What should a Category Manager resume include?
A Category Manager resume should show throughput, cost and reliability across the operations or supply chain you ran. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Experience, Skills, Certifications and Education. Show the organization you ran (team size, budget, revenue) and the business results you are accountable for.
What is the best resume template for a Category Manager?
Classic, Compact and Modern work well for Category Manager roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a Category Manager resume be?
Two pages are common for leadership roles; keep the first page strong enough to stand alone.
Which skills should a Category Manager put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for Category Manager roles are Supply chain planning, Inventory management, Logistics and distribution, Lean and Six Sigma, Vendor management and ERP and WMS systems.
How do I write strong Category Manager resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as on-time delivery, inventory turns and cost per unit. For example: "Raised on-time delivery from 88% to 97% across 3 warehouses by redesigning pick routes."