Senior Category Manager

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Category Manager based in Canada.** This is a highly visible category leadership role focused on driving commercial performance across a growing retail network. You’ll own strategies spanning assortment, pricing, promotions, distribution, and inventory management. The role combines deep analytics with practical retail execution and localized market decision-making. You’ll manage relationships with 50+ suppliers and lead negotiations, business planning, and performance reviews. Success requires turning complex data into clear actions that improve sales, margins, inventory health, and customer value. You’ll collaborate closely with merchandising, planning, supply chain, marketing, finance, and store operations teams. The position offers an opportunity to influence category strategy in a fast-paced and evolving consumer retail environment. ### Accountabilities - **Category strategy & merchandising:** Develop and execute portfolio strategies across assortment, distribution, pricing, promotions, and inventory, translating broader playbooks into localized programs that reflect regional markets and consumer preferences. - **Assortment & pricing:** Build compelling product assortments while balancing national priorities with regional opportunities; optimize shelf pricing using margin targets, competitive benchmarks, consumer price sensitivity, and promotional elasticity. - **Inventory management:** Monitor sell-through, weeks of supply, and aging inventory, implementing assortment changes, markdowns, or promotional actions to improve inventory health. - **Retail execution:** Coordinate product and vendor setup, maintain accurate master data, and oversee planograms and menu boards to ensure clear store execution and optimal product placement. - **Supplier management:** Serve as the primary relationship lead for 50+ suppliers, managing onboarding, business reviews, commercial negotiations, billing, collections, issue resolution, and ongoing partnership development. - **Commercial growth:** Build joint business plans with strategic suppliers, align on growth targets and investment priorities, source new suppliers, negotiate commercial agreements, and identify opportunities to close assortment gaps. - **Supplier governance:** Establish scalable engagement processes, governance frameworks, planning cycles, scorecards, and performance reviews to strengthen supplier performance and commercial outcomes. - **Analytics & insights:** Produce category performance reporting and conduct item- and category-level reviews to identify opportunities for pricing, promotions, distribution changes, SKU rationalization, and innovation. - **Market intelligence:** Monitor competitive activity, industry developments, macroeconomic trends, regulatory changes, and consumer trends to inform category and banner-level decisions. - **Cross-functional leadership:** Partner with merchandising operations, retail planning and analytics, supply chain, marketing, store operations, finance, and other stakeholders to ensure strong execution and alignment. - **Stakeholder support:** Act as a key point of contact for category-related questions and operational needs while communicating insights and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders. ## Requirements - **Experience:** 7+ years of experience in category management, merchandising, or a related commercial role, ideally within a fast-paced retail or consumer goods environment. - **Industry knowledge:** Retail experience is essential; experience in the cannabis sector is considered an asset. - **Commercial expertise:** Proven ability to manage external partnerships, negotiate commercial agreements, influence senior stakeholders, and develop mutually beneficial supplier relationships. - **Analytical capabilities:** Exceptional ability to interpret large and varied datasets and transform analysis into clear, actionable business recommendations. - **Technical skills:** Advanced Excel proficiency, including experience with large datasets, financial analysis, and performance reporting; experience with enterprise-grade business intelligence platforms is required, with Power BI experience considered an advantage. - **Financial acumen:** Strong understanding of retail KPIs, margin mechanics, promotional economics, inventory metrics, and commercial performance drivers. - **Communication:** Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present insights clearly and influence decisions across different levels of an organization. - **Organization:** Strong attention to detail and proven ability to manage multiple priorities, regions, stakeholders, and timelines simultaneously. - **Leadership:** Collaborative, proactive, and commercially minded, with the ability to work effectively across functions and drive outcomes through influence. - **Adaptability:** Comfortable operating in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where priorities and market conditions can evolve quickly. ## Benefits - Competitive base salary of approximately **CAD $95,000–$109,000**, with the listed rate of pay at **CAD $102,000**. - Performance-based bonus opportunities and annual salary reviews. - Comprehensive health and dental benefits, including a Healthcare Spending Account. - Three weeks of paid vacation with annual rollover. - Flexible and hybrid work arrangements designed to support work-life balance. - Recognition and rewards programs celebrating individual and team achievements. - Employee & Family Assistance Program offering mental health, financial, and family support. - Employee perks and discounts across fitness, wellness, lifestyle, retail, and everyday services. - Opportunity to contribute to a rapidly evolving retail and consumer products environment. - Collaborative, inclusive, and diverse workplace culture with equal opportunities for professional growth.