Category Manager

The Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing the strategy for assigned product categories to drive sales, profitability, inventory productivity, market share, and customer value. This position manages category financial performance, product assortment, pricing, promotions, vendor relationships, and inventory decisions while using customer, competitive, market, and business insights to identify opportunities and mitigate risk. The Category Manager works cross-functionally with inventory management, supply chain, marketing, digital, store operations, finance, and other business partners to ensure category plans are effectively developed and executed across channels. This role may also provide management, coaching, and development to direct report(s) supporting the assigned categories.

Category Strategy & Assortment Management

• Develop and execute short-term and long-term category strategies that align with company objectives, customer needs, brand direction, and merchandising priorities.
• Create and maintain category assortments that optimize customer choice, sales performance, profitability, inventory productivity, and market share.
• Evaluate customer insights, industry developments, product trends, and competitive activity to identify assortment gaps, growth opportunities, and strategic initiatives.
• Develop category pricing, promotional, and product placement strategies that support financial objectives and enhance the customer experience.
• Lead category line reviews and assortment planning activities to ensure alignment with business objectives and customer demand.
• Identify and execute category expansion, localization, digital merchandising, product innovation, and other growth opportunities.

Financial Management & Business Performance

• Own the financial performance of assigned categories, including sales, gross margin, profitability, inventory productivity, inventory turns, and budget attainment.
• Develop annual and seasonal sales, margin, inventory, and assortment plans in partnership with inventory management and finance teams.
• Monitor category performance and adjust assortment, pricing, promotional, and inventory strategies to maximize results and mitigate risk.
• Analyze category performance using sales, profit, inventory, customer, vendor, and market data to identify trends and support strategic decision-making.
• Present business reviews, category performance updates, forecasts, and strategic recommendations to leadership.

Vendor Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strategic vendor relationships that support category growth, innovation, profitability, operational performance, and long-term business objectives.
• Lead negotiations related to product costs, pricing, contract terms, service expectations, vendor funding, product quality, and performance metrics.
• Evaluate vendor performance and implement actions to improve service, product availability, profitability, and execution.
• Collaborate with vendors on product development, assortment opportunities, promotional plans, packaging improvements, and new business initiatives.
• Resolve vendor-related issues involving inventory, product quality, pricing, packaging, logistics, and customer experience.

Inventory, Pricing and Promotional Management

• Partner with inventory management and supply chain teams to develop inventory plans, demand forecasts, replenishment strategies, and receipt schedules.
• Monitor inventory performance and execute corrective actions to optimize stock levels and improve inventory productivity.
• Approve pricing recommendations, promotional strategies, and markdown activities that support profitability and customer value objectives.
• Evaluate promotional effectiveness and implement adjustments based on performance results and changing business conditions.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Execution

• Collaborate with marketing, digital, pricing, inventory management, supply chain, finance, visual merchandising, and store operations teams to execute category strategies.
• Lead the cross-functional execution of category initiatives, product launches, assortment transitions, and promotional events.
• Ensure category plans are implemented accurately and effectively across all channels and customer touchpoints.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance merchandising effectiveness, operational efficiency, reporting accuracy, and customer experience.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Assistant Category Managers, Senior Assistant Category Managers, and other supporting team members.
• Establish priorities, communicate expectations, provide performance feedback, and support professional development.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and business ownership within the merchandising team.
• Support succession planning by preparing team members for increasing responsibility and future leadership opportunities.

Operational Excellence and Governance

• Ensure the accurate execution of category processes, including item maintenance, promotional setup, product launches, vendor documentation, and reporting activities.
• Maintain compliance with company policies, merchandising standards, vendor agreements, and operational requirements.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve systems, workflows, reporting, controls, and category management processes.
• Exercise sound business judgment and make decisions that balance customer needs, financial objectives, vendor partnerships, and operational requirements.

What We're Looking For:

• Demonstrated capability to lead, communicate, and present category initiatives effectively
• Comprehensive knowledge of merchandising retail math/financial skills
• Organized, detail-oriented, and strong time management skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

You'll Go The Extra Mile If You Have:

• 3-5 years of retail experience, preferably in the automotive industry