Purpose of Role
The Material Handling Category Manager owns category strategy and commercialization support for Delivery Solutions by translating market, customer, competitor, and financial insights into actionable growth plans. This role partners with Sales, Marketing, New Product Development, and operational subject matter experts to shape product positioning, enable customer adoption, support profitable growth, and build scalable tools that help the organization win in Direct Store Delivery markets.
Areas of Accountabilities
Market & Business Insights
- Analyze market trends, customer needs, competitive activity, pricing, adoption patterns, and internal performance to inform category decisions and Delivery Solutions growth priorities.
- Provide clear insights for AOP planning, business reviews, pipeline discussions, product strategy, supplier selection, negotiation support, and investment decisions.
- Develop and maintain internal and external benchmarks that identify category opportunities, risks, and actions needed to improve market position and financial returns.
- Deliver timely updates to Sales and business leaders on competitor movement, industry conditions, and category performance.
Customer Value & Sales Enablement
- Analyze market trends, customer needs, competitive activity, pricing, adoption patterns, and internal performance to inform category decisions and Delivery Solutions growth priorities.
- Provide clear insights for AOP planning, business reviews, pipeline discussions, product strategy, supplier selection, negotiation support, and investment decisions.
- Develop and maintain internal and external benchmarks that identify category opportunities, risks, and actions needed to improve market position and financial returns.
- Deliver timely updates to Sales and business leaders on competitor movement, industry conditions, and category performance.
Category Strategy & Commercialization
- Analyze market trends, customer needs, competitive activity, pricing, adoption patterns, and internal performance to inform category decisions and Delivery Solutions growth priorities.
- Provide clear insights for AOP planning, business reviews, pipeline discussions, product strategy, supplier selection, negotiation support, and investment decisions.
- Develop and maintain internal and external benchmarks that identify category opportunities, risks, and actions needed to improve market position and financial returns.
- Deliver timely updates to Sales and business leaders on competitor movement, industry conditions, and category performance.
Cross-Functional Execution & Performance Management
- Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, New Product Development, Operations, and subject matter experts to align category plans, commercialization activities, and customer deployment support.
- Partner with Marketing to develop promotional and sales plans that drive awareness, revenue growth, and category adoption.
- Facilitate quarterly planning, forecasting, and performance updates with Sales leaders and SMEs to track progress against strategic initiatives, revenue, margin, adoption, and ROI expectations.
- Build effective internal relationships and adjust communication style by audience to move decisions, resolve barriers, and maintain alignment across functions.
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience
- BA / BS degree required.
- 4+ years of experience in category management, product management, product development, commercialization, or solution selling.
- Strong business acumen with experience using market, customer, competitive, pricing, and financial data to guide decisions.
- Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, build cross-functional relationships, and communicate effectively with Sales, Marketing, NPD, Operations, and leadership stakeholders.
- Strong presentation, written communication, negotiation, and sales-enablement skills.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, work under pressure, and deliver results in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
- Ability to travel up to 50% by airplane.
- Ability to lift product samples up to 40 lbs as needed.