Category Manager

Role Overview:

To drive growth, profitability, and market leadership of the category by developing and executing effective assortment, pricing, sourcing, and merchandising strategies aligned with consumer trends and organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Category & Business Management

• Own the P&L responsibility for the entire category.
• Develop, plan, and implement annual business plans to achieve sales, margin, and inventory targets.
• Analyze consumer insights, buying patterns, and market trends to define category strategy.
• Monitor category performance through KPIs such as sell-through, inventory turns, GMROI, and contribution margins.

Product & Assortment Strategy

• Build a strong assortment mix across categories.
• Work closely with design, sourcing, and vendors to introduce new lines based on emerging fashion trends.

Vendor & Sourcing Management

• Develop and maintain strong vendor relationships with manufacturers, designers, and suppliers.
• Negotiate best terms on cost, quality, and lead times to optimize margins.
• Drive private label and exclusive brand partnerships.

Merchandising & Inventory Planning

• Collaborate with merchandising and supply chain teams to ensure right product availability across stores and channels.
• Optimize inventory through demand forecasting, OTB (Open-to-Buy) planning, and effective allocation.
• Drive visual merchandising standards to enhance customer experience.

Marketing & Consumer Engagement

• Partner with marketing teams to plan category campaigns, festive promotions, and brand collaborations.
• Leverage digital channels, influencer tie-ups, and content marketing to drive positioning.
• Track customer feedback and align product offerings accordingly.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead and mentor a team of buyers, planners, and merchandisers.
• Work cross-functionally with design, operations, supply chain, and retail teams for seamless execution.
• Present category performance reviews and business updates to senior management

Education & Experience:

• Must have Bachelor/Master’s degree in Retail/Fashion from NIFT (mandatory)
• Ideal experience should be between 10-15 Years