Category Manager

This role is for one of Weekday’s clients
Salary range: Rs 1500000 - Rs 2000000 (ie INR 15 - 20 LPA)

Min Experience: 5+ years
Location: India, NCR
JobType: full-time

We are looking for an experienced and results-driven Category Manager – Home Furnishing to lead category strategy, product assortment, merchandising, pricing, and business growth. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in the home furnishing industry, a deep understanding of consumer preferences, and the ability to drive revenue, profitability, and market share.

The candidate will be responsible for managing the end-to-end category lifecycle, identifying emerging market trends, developing strategic vendor partnerships, and ensuring the right product mix across sales channels. This role requires a combination of commercial acumen, analytical thinking, negotiation skills, and a strong understanding of home furnishing products and customer buying behaviour.

Key Responsibilities

• Category Strategy: Develop and execute category strategies for home furnishing products, including bedsheets, curtains, cushions, rugs, carpets, blankets, towels, bedding accessories, and other home décor essentials.
• Product Assortment and Merchandising: Plan and manage product assortment based on customer demand, seasonal trends, market research, pricing, and sales performance.
• Business Growth: Own category revenue, sales targets, gross margins, profitability, and overall business performance. Identify opportunities to improve category growth and market penetration.
• Vendor Management: Identify, onboard, and manage suppliers, manufacturers, and vendors. Negotiate pricing, payment terms, product quality, and delivery timelines to ensure commercial efficiency.
• Pricing and Promotions: Develop competitive pricing strategies and promotional plans to increase sales, improve conversion rates, and maximize profitability.
• Market Research: Analyse market trends, competitor offerings, customer preferences, and industry developments to identify new product opportunities and strengthen the category portfolio.
• Inventory Management: Coordinate with supply chain and operations teams to maintain optimal inventory levels, minimize stockouts and excess inventory, and improve inventory turnover.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Monitor key performance indicators such as revenue, gross margin, sell-through rate, average order value, conversion rate, and inventory ageing.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with marketing, sales, design, sourcing, supply chain, and operations teams to ensure effective category execution.
• Product Development: Collaborate with design and sourcing teams to introduce new products, improve existing collections, and develop differentiated offerings aligned with customer expectations.

Must-Have Skills

• Proven experience in category management within the home furnishing industry.
• Strong understanding of home furnishing products, materials, fabrics, designs, quality standards, and consumer preferences.
• Expertise in category planning, product assortment, merchandising, pricing, and vendor negotiations.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including revenue planning, margin management, and profitability analysis.
• Proficiency in analysing sales data, market trends, and category performance metrics.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver business results in a fast-paced environment.

Experience and Qualifications

• 5–10 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in category management, merchandising, buying, or sourcing.
• Prior experience managing a home furnishing category in retail, e-commerce, D2C, or a consumer goods business.
• A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Retail Management, Merchandising, or a related field is preferred.

Compensation

Budget: Up to ₹20 LPA, depending on experience, expertise, and current compensation.