10 Jobs Future Leaders Participants Didn’t Have 10 Years Ago

By: Carol Abel, Vice President, Education Program Development, Food Marketing Institute

More than 400 of the food retailing industry’s most promising rising stars will gather in Chicago June 11-13 to participate in the Future Leaders eXperience. Through a series of team-building exercises, challenges and discussions, they will hone leadership skills that will be required of them in an industry that is transforming itself to serve consumers in new and exciting ways.

As the industry and consumer trends change, so do the tasks that food retail professionals perform. Here are 10 job titles this year’s Future Leaders eXperience participants have that did not exist in food retail industry just 10 years ago:

1. Manager, Private Label Brand – According to Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2016 report, 98 percent of retailers are emphasizing private-brand products as a competitive strategy.
2. Chef and Culinary Merchandiser – To compete with take-out alternatives, including digital options, retailers are looking for ways to make delicious, nutritious meals in-house that shoppers can grab-and-go.
3. eCommerce Specialist – Every organization needs a professional who can understand how to implement the rapidly evolving electronic commerce alternatives shoppers want, each with their own embedded systems and payment getaways.
4. Director, Omni-Channel – With so many ways to connect with shoppers – online, in the store, by mobile device, on the phone – making sure every possible opportunity to capture a sale requires a unique kind of professional.
5. Manager, Health and Wellness – Consumers want more than just convenience and low prices, they want products that contribute to their physical health and well-being and a manager is required to make sure those demands are fulfilled.
6. International Human Resources & Training Manager – The opportunities that come with the globalization of brands – including retail brands – requires consistency across the company so that the same level of quality is offered everywhere in the world.
7. Pharmacy Business Analyst – The economics undergirding a retailer’s pharmacy business have never been more complex and a professional who understands both pharmacology and business strategy is vital.
8. Social Media Field Specialist – A social media strategy is a requirement in both communicating with consumers and gathering data on their tastes. Generating and sharing content is the fastest-growing path to building connections with shoppers.
9. Senior Director, Talent, Hiring and Retention – With so many options available to consumers now, the human touch a retailer offers becomes more important every day and the team it puts together can make or break a business model.
10. Senior Vice President, Natural Specialty – Not only do consumers want more natural, organic, gourmet, local and ethnic products, those products can generate more profits than more easily commoditized traditional items in a retail store.

If these job titles have emerged in the past 10 years, what will the next decade hold for food retail industry emerging leaders? Follow the discussion at Future Leaders eXperience via social media using #FMIFutureLeaders and check out advice from industry veterans at Future Leders eXperience.