Category Manager - Sports (225-923)

As a Category Manager - Sports, you will be at the forefront of our company's endeavors to excel and expand within the sports sector. Your primary objective will be to curate and manage a portfolio of sports-related products, ensuring both a diverse and competitive range that meets customer demands and forecasts trends. You will collaborate closely with suppliers, marketing teams, and sales departments to build a strategic approach that maximizes profitability. A keen sense for innovation, a deep understanding of market dynamics, and strong negotiation skills are essential to thrive in this role. Your work will directly impact customer satisfaction and drive our product line's success and growth in the competitive sports marketplace.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategy plans aligned with company goals and market trends.
• Analyze sales data to identify customer preferences and performance of sports products.
• Collaborate with suppliers to negotiate contracts, pricing, and promotional activities effectively.
• Manage product lifecycle from introduction to markdown and exit strategies.
• Coordinate closely with the marketing team to launch new products and promote existing ones.
• Maintain relationships with key industry stakeholders and external partners to drive business growth.
• Monitor competitive market activities to identify opportunities and threats within the sports sector.
• Lead category review meetings to assess product performance and identify actionable insights.
• Ensure inventory levels are adequate to cover projected sales forecasts and prevent stockouts.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the success of category strategies.
• Prepare detailed reports for senior management outlining current achievements and future steps.
• Drive innovation by exploring and integrating new products that align with consumer interests.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field is preferred.
• Proven experience of at least three years as a Category Manager or similar role.
• Strong knowledge and passion for the sports industry and its product categories.
• Exceptional analytical skills with an ability to interpret sales data and market trends.
• Excellent negotiation and relationship-building skills with internal and external partners.
• Strong project management capabilities and the ability to manage multiple tasks successfully.
• Effective communication skills to present ideas and persuade stakeholders convincingly.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and relevant analytical and planning tools.