As a Category Manager, you will lead the merchandising strategy for a portfolio of retail categories. You will negotiate terms with suppliers, determine the product range we offer, and manage commercial agreements. Additionally, you will work on joint sourcing initiatives with our parent company to optimize operations. This is an excellent opportunity to apply your category management experience to drive business results.
Key Responsibilities
1. Own profit and loss responsibility for assigned product categories
2. Develop annual category plans including assortment, pricing, promotions and markdown strategies
3. Negotiate pricing, volume commitments and product innovation with supplier partners
4. Continuously analyze category performance and sales trends to identify growth opportunities
5. Lead range reviews to optimize our offerings based on customer demand
6. Collaborate with buying, planning and merchandising teams to forecast demand and inventory levels
7. Represent the company in supplier meetings and industry conferences
8. Manage category budgets, track expenses and improve profitability through cost savings initiatives
9. Source new products, negotiate terms and onboard qualified suppliers
10. Work cross-functionally with sourcing teams to identify joint partnerships for improved cost efficiency
Required Skills and Qualifications
1. 5+ years of experience in category management roles within retail industry
2. Proven track record of growing category sales and outperforming targets
3. Strong negotiation and relationship building skills with both internal and external stakeholders
4. Analytical mindset with ability to interpret data-driven insights into category strategies
5. Solid understanding of the full merchandising process from planning to assortment
6. Excellent communication skills and ability to effectively present analysis to senior leadership
7. Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing or related field
8. Proficiency with MS Office suite and merchandising databases
9. Must have Caribbean or Western grocery retail experience
#J-18808-Ljbffr