Category Manager, Bath & Personal Care

Role Overview

• The Category Manager applies their analytical skills and business expertise to take ownership and drive growth and profitability for the category(s) while articulating a clear strategy and long-term vision
• Lead your Buyers to strategically negotiate with vendors to secure exceptional everyday pricing, marketing & promotional budgets, special opportunity buys, growth incentives including rebates and accruals, delivery, and payment terms for large volume, highly visible accounts
• Manage and analyze key category metrics (KPIs) to drive solutions for category performance, new and existing brands, new products, pricing, gross margin, promotions, and product life cycle while seeking opportunities for improvement
• Continually develop and utilize strong category knowledge to build, edit and maintain current and future assortment creating market advantage while also reflecting customer needs/requests
• Establish an action plan to capitalize on category and product innovation, industry trends, global markets, competitor offerings, consumer trends, and ways to differentiate our offering to exceed customer expectations
• Foster relationships with large volume, highly visible existing/new vendors to drive sales, product innovation, margin growth, promotional support and maintain regular and consistent communication to ensure a clear understanding of short/long-term goals and capabilities
• Negotiation of contracts, product evaluation, quality issues, customer service questions and create and maintain supplier, product database
• Drive the new product/brand onboarding and maintenance process to ensure timely addition to market
• Calculate, maintain and evaluate cost, pricing, and product adjustments in system to ensure desired mark-ups, margin and seek strategic pricing opportunities
• Partner with Inventory Management and Planning Team in managing inventory turns, vendor forecasts, new item projections, service level, order cycles, rebate and marketing programs, special opportunity buys, and general supply chain practices
• Manage and develop short/long-term promotional activities that are profitable and highly effective in conjunction with the Marketing Team
• Create, review and utilize data/reports to enable in-depth analysis of category successes/challenges
• Comply with company policies and procedures, including safety, business ethics, and standards of conduct
• Cultivate, direct and support seasoned Buyers; enabling them to further develop and grow assigned category with tools for success

Requirements

• Generally requires a minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience in purchasing, merchandising, marketing or directly related role with equivalent responsibilities, preferably in an e-commerce environment with natural products experience a plus
• Skillful, creative negotiator with long-term category development and management experience
• Intellectually curious, energetic self-starter that is highly resourceful with a can-do attitude and solid decision making skills
• Confidence to manage up, secure buy-in from senior leadership, and navigate challenging situations
• Analytical and deductive reasoning skills; stickler for processes and ability to identify needed improvements
• Entrepreneurial mindset and positive leader that is a mentor and team player/developer/builder and collaborator with strong interpersonal skills and long term vision
• Ability to operate independently, work under pressure and coordinate, organize and motivate team to meet deadlines and goals successfully with a high level of quality
• Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple projects with competing demands for resources and meet deadlines
• Proven strength in oral/written communication skills with ability to make presentations, communicate and partner with people at all levels of the organization and with external contacts.

Benefits

• Employees (and their families) that meet eligibility criteria as outlined in applicable plan documents are eligible to participate in our medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance programs
• 401(k) plan
• Time Off and Paid Sick Leave pursuant to the company’s policies
• Paid holidays throughout the calendar year
• Hired applicant may be awarded Restrict Stock Units and receive annual bonuses pursuant to eligibility and performance criteria defined in the respective plan documents and policies.