Assistant Category Manager

Job Description: Assistant Category Manager

Business Unit: Growth
Reporting To: Head of Department (HOD)
Location: Thane, Mumbai

Role Overview

The Assistant Category Manager will be responsible for driving the growth and performance of the footwear category. This role involves analyzing market and consumer trends, developing long-term category strategies, managing vendor relationships, optimizing pricing and promotions, and ensuring strong category performance across channels. The position requires close collaboration with Brand, Marketing, Operations, Sales, and Key Account teams to improve product visibility, availability, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Development

• Analyze industry, market, and consumer data to identify trends within the footwear category.
• Develop and execute long-term strategies to grow and strengthen the category.
• Identify emerging trends, new opportunities, and changes in customer preferences.
• Optimize product assortment and plan exit strategies for underperforming products.

Category, Pricing & Promotions

• Lead category ranging, pricing, and promotional strategies across online and offline channels.
• Plan and execute promotional campaigns to boost sales and customer engagement.
• Track competitor pricing and promotional activities to ensure competitive positioning.
• Ensure pricing strategies align with company objectives and profitability targets.

Merchandising & Product Positioning

• Plan and implement merchandising strategies to optimize product ranges.
• Work closely with brand and marketing teams to improve product positioning and visibility.
• Ensure the footwear category is positioned effectively to appeal to target customers.
• Coordinate with design and creative teams to enhance visual merchandising efforts.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Partner with Brand Managers and Key Account Managers to expand categories and drive growth.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to execute effective promotional and awareness campaigns.
• Work with operations teams to ensure product availability and smooth supply chain execution.
• Engage with sales and customer service teams to understand customer feedback and improve offerings.

Budget & Revenue Management

• Plan and manage the category budget to meet revenue and margin targets.
• Monitor category performance and analyze sales data to identify improvement areas.
• Ensure profitability through effective cost control, inventory management, and margin optimization.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong understanding of category management and product lifecycle, preferably in footwear.
• Sound knowledge of marketing, sales operations, and e-commerce best practices.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret large datasets and forecast trends.
• Experience in vendor management and commercial negotiations.
• Expertise in pricing strategy, promotions, and assortment planning.
• Ability to identify growth opportunities and optimize product performance.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple priorities.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills driven by data and insights.

Experience & Education

• Experience: Minimum 5 years in category management or a related role
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field

Core Competencies

• Account Leadership: Ownership of key accounts through relationship management and performance tracking
• Market Intelligence: Monitoring trends, competitors, and platform innovations
• Operational Agility: Ability to adapt quickly and manage multiple initiatives
• Performance Optimization: Focus on improving visibility, conversion, and profitability using data insights

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: ₹500,000.00 - ₹700,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• How many years of experience do you have in category management?
• Do you have hands-on experience managing a product category end-to-end (pricing, promotions, performance tracking)?
• Are you comfortable analyzing sales, margins, inventory, and sell-through data to make category decisions?
• Have you planned or executed promotional campaigns (discounts, offers, bundles) for a category?
• What is your notice period?
• What is your current CTC? and expected CTC?

Education:

• Master's (Preferred)

Location:

• Thane, Maharashtra (Preferred)

Work Location: In person