Category Manager, Zoro
Company Summary:
Zoro.com is an eCommerce company that sells business supplies, equipment, and tools—but we’re much more than just a website. We’re a team of people who win and lose together (we prefer winning!). Since 2011, Zoro has been working hard to make it easy for our customers to purchase everything they need to make their businesses go. Zoro currently offers over 3 million products, fast and free shipping, no-hassle returns, and exceptional customer service. We’ve grown quickly in a short time, recently surpassing 400 team members and reaching annual revenue of over $500 million. Add to that our award-winning culture—we were named a Great Place to Work for 2019-20, among other accolades—and we think Zoro is a pretty amazing place to work and grow.
Primary Function:
The Category Manager is responsible for expanding the portfolio for assigned categories, suppliers, and expansion categories in adjacent markets that Zoro currently serves. The Category Manager is charged to ensure our customers have the most attractive product offering in the B2B online space and we have a supplier base that aspires to be customer obsessed. The Category Manager will execute on the strategy through developing new relationships and cultivating existing supplier relationships to drive portfolio expansion and connecting with internal business partners to help facilitate the expansion focus areas and get the appropriate attention with pricing, marketing, and supply chain. This position will be responsible for planning and executing initiatives to enhance and support the company’s overall strategy and goals.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Design and execute a category line structure, for the assigned category, that maximizes revenue, gross profit dollars, and customer relevance.
- Demonstrated experience in driving results through the execution of product line tactics, including SKU selection and supplier negotiations.
- Manage assigned product lines by researching customer needs and competitor product lines. Introduce new products to the product line to increase sales while achieving specific gross profit objectives. Have a strong awareness of total company offering, and provide leadership to the category management team on product blend and completeness of offering.
- Supplier management for assigned category groups. Work with external suppliers to acquire and maintain comprehensive product information for the assigned categories, including product specifications, product images and additional product content (e.g. videos).
- Ability to drive action through the activity of others in order to reach stated objectives. Manage the activities of the designated Category Specialist personnel to include directing, motivating, performance appraisals, promotions, salary recommendations and terminations. Develop staff skills to drive talent development, contribution to the organization and overall goals.
- Demonstrated ability to lead change, demonstrate agility in relation to change and persuade/lead others through the change to minimize team disruption. Ensure a continuously high performing team.
- Provide leadership and coach others in order to reach stated objectives. Also seeks and responds to constructive feedback to performance and personal development.
- Challenge existing processes and procedures leading towards leaner and simpler processes, better service and lower cost through Continuous Improvement.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required. MA/MS/MBA or equivalent preferred.
- 5 - 7 years of experience in a related field preferred.
- Experience working on large product assortments for e-commerce channels and customer requirements with Supply Chain, product information and marketing strategies.
- Strong analytical and business skills.
Final note: We share a commitment to our Zoro values – Win & Lose Together (We prefer winning!), Take Ownership, We Are Transparent, and Aspire to be Customer-Obsessed. Everything we do at Zoro is centered around delighting our customers. It's a natural extension of our company culture and how we care for each other. We believe when we act in ways that are consistent with these values, we can solve any technical challenge that lies ahead of us. As a Zoro employee, you can expect to work with smart, energetic people, learn something every day, and be valued for your perspective.
Zoro is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.