Category Development Manager

Location: Chicago, IL, US, 60613

Date: Mar 31, 2026

Company: Gallo

Job Req ID: 106994 

Job Type: Full-time 

Work Category: Hybrid Telecommute 

Application Close Date: 04/10/2026 

Sponsorship: Not Available 

Compensation: $93,800 - $140,600 

 

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We are GALLO

We’re a family-owned company with a 90+ year legacy, that’s consistently recognized as a Glassdoor “Best Places to Work.” We have 130+ brands in our total alcohol beverage portfolio including wine, malt, spirits, and ready-to-drink beverages. We’re home to the #1 wine and spirits brands in the U.S. - Barefoot Wine & High Noon and are the official sponsors of the NFL, NHL, UFC, and PGA of America.

 

View our Corporate Values and Mission Statement here.

 

A Taste of What You’ll Do

As an Account Manager, Category Development, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how our products show up for customers and consumers. You’ll partner closely with retail customers, distributors, and internal teams to bring category strategies to life—turning insights into action and opportunities into growth. This role blends analytics, strategy, and relationship-building to help customers optimize their categories while advancing Gallo’s business objectives.

 

In this consultative role, you’ll analyze syndicated data, financial results, and account-level insights to uncover trends, evaluate product demand, and recommend merchandising strategies that drive performance. You’ll work directly with customer decision-makers, presenting compelling, data-backed recommendations and “best practices” that influence category development and long-term planning.

 

You’ll manage multiple analytical projects end to end, balancing priorities while delivering high-quality insights. From space planning and schematic development to supporting joint business planning and digital commercialization, your work will directly impact both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce environments. You’ll also help educate internal partners and customers on data tools, best practices, and evolving category strategies.

 

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment, embraces innovation, and enjoys solving complex business problems through data and collaboration. If you bring a growth mindset, strong communication skills, and a passion for turning insights into results, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

 

What You’ll Need

  •  Master’s degree plus 2 years of category development or sales experience reflecting increasing levels of responsibility; OR Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Journalism, Business, Economics, or Supply Chain plus 3 years of sales or category development experience reflecting increasing levels of responsibility; OR Bachelor's degree plus 4 years of category development or sales experience reflecting increasing levels of responsibility; OR High school diploma or Stateissued equivalency certificate plus 7 years of category development or sales experience reflecting increasing levels of responsibility.
  • Candidate is required to have a valid driver’s license, a safe driving record and reliable vehicle (if applicable) at the time of hire. This position will undergo a motor vehicle check (MVR) to confirm a history of safe and responsible driving. If needed, candidate must obtain the appropriate state driver’s license based on the position’s location within 30 days of hire.
  • Required to travel by airplane and automobile to conduct job duties, up to 25% of the time.
  • Required to obtain Liquor License as required by state/locality.
  • Required to travel to company offices, sites, and/or meeting locations for onboarding, training, meetings, and events for development, department needs, and business delivery up to 5% of the time, with or without reasonable accommodation. This may be in addition to travel requirements, if applicable, as listed in this job description.
  • Required to be 18 years or older. This may be in addition to other age requirements, if applicable, as listed in this job description.

 

How You’ll Stand Out

  • Bachelor’s degree plus 4 years of Gallo winery or distributor sales or category development experience to include a prior rotation as a Market Development Manager, Market Development Manager Sr, Spirits Development Specialist, or Account Manager 1; OR Bachelor's degree plus 5 years of external alcohol sales experience to include category development experience.
  • 1 year of malt beverage experience
  • Skilled in the use of MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, GCO, IRI, Spectra, MS Excel and

ProSpace at a basic level.

  • Experience with statistical analysis, advanced data retrieval, and transforming complex data into actionable business insights.

 

To view the full job description, please click here.

 

Our Benefits & Perks

We are committed to providing competitive compensation, perks, and a culture that supports your well-being. Benefits depend on your work category and may include medical and dental coverage, 401k plans, profit sharing, pet insurance, company holidays, access to an employee wine shop, and more! Additional information will be provided before your first interview.

 

The Fine Print

  • The Company does not sponsor for employment-based visas for this position now or in the future.
  • Actual compensation paid within the range will be determined by factors such as the education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data. In addition to the salary, this position may be eligible for bonuses, incentive plans, or participate in tasting room tip pools, as applicable.
  • This position will be based in the location(s) specified in the job posting with an option for occasional telecommuting. You will be expected to live within a commutable distance. 
  • It is the Company’s policy for job postings to be open to internal candidates for a minimum of 5 days and to external candidates, if applicable, for a minimum of 3 days.

 

Gallo’s policy is to afford equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and not to discriminate on the basis of race, traits associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles (such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law (including cancer and predisposing genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, familial status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation (actual or perceived), transgender status, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, reproductive health decision making, age, military or veteran status, domestic violence or sexual assault victim status, or any other basis protected by applicable law. Nor will Gallo discriminate based on a perception that an individual has any of the foregoing characteristics or is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics.

 

Gallo will comply with state and local laws prohibiting discrimination for lawful out-of-work behavior, such as off-duty use of cannabis away from the workplace (subject to federal and state law exceptions), the existence of non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites in hair, blood, urine, or other bodily fluids as determined by a drug screening test (subject to federal and state law exceptions).

 

We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gallo is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please let us know at 209.341.7000.

 

Gallo is enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program and will use the program to verify the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees as required.

 

E-Verify Notice

Right to Work

Employee Polygraph Protection Act