Assistant Category Manager

The Assistant Category Manager supports the Category Manager in developing, executing, and maintaining product category strategies that drive sales, profitability, inventory productivity, and customer value for AutoZone. This entry-level position assists with assortment planning, business analysis, pricing and promotional activities, supplier coordination, product setup, inventory monitoring, and cross-functional execution. The Assistant Category Manager gathers and interprets business information, maintains accurate category data and documentation, prepares reports and presentations, and recommends actions based on identifiable trends. Working within established strategies and processes, this position completes assigned responsibilities independently, makes decisions within a defined scope, and escalates significant risks or complex issues to the Category Manager. This role provides practical experience across the category management function and is intended to build the financial, analytical, merchandising, supplier-management, and leadership capabilities needed for future career growth.

The Assistant Category Manager is expected to learn AutoZone's merchandising processes, systems, suppliers, and category management fundamentals while providing analytical, operational, and administrative support to the Category Manager. At time of hire the key responsibilities are as follows:

Category Administration & Execution

• Maintain product, pricing, supplier, assortment, and promotional data within merchandising systems.
• Complete item setup, SKU maintenance, and product information updates.
• Maintain assortment files, category documentation, calendars, trackers, and project records.
• Coordinate product samples, meeting materials, and presentation support.
• Assist with advertising, promotional, and category execution tasks to ensure accuracy and timeliness.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare routine sales, margin, inventory, pricing, and promotional reports.
• Monitor category performance and identify basic trends or variances.
• Compile seasonal, monthly, and quarterly business recaps.
• Gather market, competitive, and product information for category reviews.
• Validate data accuracy and help identify reporting discrepancies.

Supplier & Product Support

• Coordinate supplier communications regarding item information, images, specifications, costs, samples, and product updates.
• Track supplier shipments and communicate delivery issues to internal stakeholders.
• Support supplier meeting preparation and maintain follow-up documentation.
• Assist in collecting information for assortment and product decisions.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Coordinate with inventory management, pricing, supply chain, marketing, digital, and store operations teams to support execution of approved category plans.
• Communicate approved assortment, pricing, promotional, and product updates to stakeholders.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings and project activities.

Professional Development

• Learn category financial concepts including sales, margin, inventory productivity, and inventory turns.
• Develop a working knowledge of AutoZone product categories, customers, competitors, and suppliers.
• Demonstrate curiosity, continuous learning, and increasing independence in assigned work.

After demonstrating proficiency in foundational responsibilities, the Assistant Category Manager assumes greater ownership of category activities and begins contributing to category planning and decision-making. Expanded responsibilities are as follows:

Category Planning & Strategy Support

• Recommend assortment additions, deletions, and product changes based on sales performance and market trends.
• Contribute to seasonal assortment reviews and product line evaluations.
• Support development of pricing and promotional recommendations.
• Assist in identifying category growth opportunities and emerging trends.
• Prepare business cases and recommendations for Category Manager review.

Advanced Analysis & Business Insights

• Conduct deeper analysis of sales, margin, inventory, supplier, and customer-performance data.
• Identify root causes of business performance issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor category performance against financial plans and key business objectives.
• Evaluate promotional effectiveness and product performance trends.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Serve as a day-to-day contact for assigned suppliers.
• Participate in supplier reviews and product line presentations.
• Assist with supplier negotiations by gathering cost, pricing, competitive, and performance information.
• Support supplier performance tracking and issue resolution efforts.

Project & Process Ownership

• Lead selected category projects with guidance from the Category Manager.
• Manage implementation of category-specific initiatives, product launches, or assortment updates.
• Recommend process improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, or speed to market.
• Train and support new team members on established tools and processes.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Coordinate execution activities across multiple business functions.
• Lead meetings related to assigned projects, initiatives, or category workstreams.
• Influence stakeholders through data-based recommendations and business insights.
• Represent the category team in selected cross-functional projects and initiatives.

Category Ownership Development

• Independently manage selected product lines, vendors, or subcategories under Category Manager supervision.

• Support annual planning activities, forecasts, budget preparation, and inventory planning.

• Develop recommendations regarding assortment strategy, inventory actions, pricing opportunities, and promotional activities.

• Demonstrate readiness for future progression into a Category Manager role through increasingly independent ownership of category responsibilities.

• Bachelor's degree in merchandising, marketing, business, finance, supply chain, data analytics, or a related field preferred.

• Three to Five years of general experience.

• Individuals with an equivalent combination of education, retail experience, internships, or relevant project experience may also be considered.

• This is an entry-level position; previous category management, merchandising, or buying experience is not required.

• Retail store, customer service, inventory, purchasing, merchandising, supplier coordination, project management, or business internship experience is preferred but not required.

• Foundational understanding of, or an interest in learning, retail financial measures such as sales, gross margin, cost, pricing, inventory, and inventory turnover.

• Ability to review information, identify basic trends, recognize inconsistencies, and communicate findings clearly.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize responsibilities, maintain accurate records, and meet multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated commitment to data, product, pricing, promotional, and documentation accuracy.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear reports, contribute to presentations, and work professionally with internal and external partners.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and build positive working relationships.

• Demonstrated curiosity, initiative, accountability, problem-solving ability, and willingness to learn new products, processes, systems, and analytical concepts.

• Ability to make sound decisions within an established scope, follow defined processes, and escalate complex or high-risk issues appropriately.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.

• Foundational Excel skills, including the ability to organize data and use basic formulas; experience with pivot tables, lookup functions, or other analytical features is preferred but not required.

• Experience using retail, inventory, purchasing, enterprise resource planning, reporting, or merchandising systems is helpful but not required.

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, accept coaching and feedback, and manage assigned responsibilities with appropriate guidance.