Manages product category strategies, assortments, pricing, supplier relationships, and category performance to support profitable growth and customer satisfaction. Analyzes sales, margin, inventory, and market data; executes category plans; supports supplier negotiations, product introductions, lifecycle management, and financial objectives. Collaborates with Sales, Sourcing, Marketing, IT, Supply Chain, and Operations. The role may involve warehouse environments, physical inventory, hazardous materials, forklift operation, and lifting requirements.
Job Summary & Responsibilities Preferred Qualifications
Position Summary:
The Category Manager is responsible for managing and executing category strategies across assigned product categories to support profitable growth, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. This role partners closely with Sales, Integrated Site Leadership, IT, Sourcing, and Supply Chain to optimize assortment, pricing, and supplier performance while ensuring category plans align with customer needs and enterprise objectives.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
• Assortment Management: Manage core and extended product assortments based on customer demand, sales performance, and supplier capabilities with a strong focus on customer needs.
• Category Planning & Execution: Support the development and execution of category plans, including assortment changes, supplier negotiations and value positioning.
• Supplier Management: Manage supplier relationships, including performance reviews, cost initiatives, and ongoing collaboration to support category strategies.
• Analytics & Reporting: Analyze sales, margin, and inventory data to monitor category performance, identify trends, and support data-driven decisions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with Sales, Sourcing, Marketing, and Operations to execute category initiatives and ensure alignment with business goals.
• Market & Product Insights: Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and product opportunities; support new product introductions and lifecycle management.
• Financial Performance Support: Support category-level margin, inventory, and working capital objectives through pricing actions, cost initiatives, and supplier programs
• Category Planning & Execution: Support the development and execution of category plans, including assortment changes, supplier negotiations and value positioning.
• Supplier Management: Manage supplier relationships, including performance reviews, cost initiatives, and ongoing collaboration to support category strategies.
• Analytics & Reporting: Analyze sales, margin, and inventory data to monitor category performance, identify trends, and support data-driven decisions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with Sales, Sourcing, Marketing, and Operations to execute category initiatives and ensure alignment with business goals.
• Market & Product Insights: Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and product opportunities; support new product introductions and lifecycle management.
• Financial Performance Support: Support category-level margin, inventory, and working capital objectives through pricing actions, cost initiatives, and supplier programs
• Other duties assigned by departmental leadership.
Job Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, or related field
• 3–5 years of experience in category management, sourcing, merchandising, or product management, preferably within industrial distribution or B2B environments
• Solid analytical and financial skills with experience evaluating sales, margin, and inventory performance
• Ability to execute category plans and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and competitive positioning
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to work effectively across functions
• Effective communication and supplier relationship management skills
• Experience working with ERP systems and data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau)
• 3–5 years of experience in category management, sourcing, merchandising, or product management, preferably within industrial distribution or B2B environments
• Solid analytical and financial skills with experience evaluating sales, margin, and inventory performance
• Ability to execute category plans and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and competitive positioning
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to work effectively across functions
• Effective communication and supplier relationship management skills
• Experience working with ERP systems and data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau)
Work Environment & Physical Demands:
Reasonable accommodations will be evaluated and may be implemented to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of this position.
- The work environment may not be temperature controlled; must have the ability to work in extreme hot or cold environments; must be able to work in dusty environments.
- Long periods working on a computer and performing repetitive keyboarding activities.
- Extended day, evening, and weekend work may be required as job duties demand and may include little to no advanced notice.
- May be required to handle hazardous materials and wear various forms of protective equipment (shoes, gloves, protective eyewear, etc.).
- May be required to drive a forklift and/or operate other standard warehouse equipment.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- May be required to pass forklift and/or other warehouse equipment certifications (written and/or driving).
- Must be able to handle and work physical inventory; required to lift up to 25 lbs or greater with assistance following standard operating and safety procedures. Other physical requirements including, regularly being required to stand, walk, kneel, bend, crouch, crawl, climb, and balance.
- Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus are required.
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Vallen USA Chicago, Illinois, USA Office
Chicago, United States
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