About the Role
We’re looking for a Category Manager to lead the strategy, planning, and execution of our core product categories across retail and e-commerce. This role is ideal for a data-driven, trend-aware retail professional with strong experience in buying, forecasting, procurement, merchandising and team leadership. You’ll be responsible for driving category growth, profitability, and customer relevance through thoughtful assortment planning, vendor management, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing, retail operations, and supply chain. This is a strategic yet hands-on role that requires strong analytical skills and a sharp eye for trends, particularly in the beauty space. This role requires a deep understanding of market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive landscape to effectively manage product categories and maximize profitability.
This is an in-office role based in Markham, Ontario.
What You’ll Do
As Category Manager, you will lead the planning, performance, and execution of key product categories. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, oversee buying decisions, conduct forecasting plans and guide a team of buyers and coordinators to deliver on sales, margin, and assortment goals.
Category Strategy and Planning
- Lead the seasonal planning process and develop strategic category roadmaps that support financial and brand objectives
- Build and maintain a customer-first assortment strategy, identifying key product trends, gaps, and opportunities
- Evaluate performance metrics and take proactive actions to optimize pricing, promotions, and category mix
- Conduct competitive and trend analysis to inform buying and lifecycle strategies
- Monitor category performance metrics and adjust strategies as necessary to achieve business objectives.
Buying and Procurement
- Manage product selection and purchasing activities across assigned categories
- Manage vendor relationships to negotiate pricing, terms, and promotional opportunities.
- Source and negotiate with both domestic and international vendors, ensuring competitive pricing, strong terms, and quality standards
- Maintain strong supplier relationships and proactively identify new sourcing opportunities
- Align purchases with OTB (open-to-buy) plans and financial targets
Forecasting and Inventory Management
- Develop accurate sales forecasts and assortment plans based on historical performance and upcoming trends
- Monitor inventory health and implement strategies to maximize sell-through, reduce markdowns, and minimize stockouts
- Analyze market trends, consumer insights, and sales data to identify opportunities for growth.
- Work closely with supply chain teams to ensure timely and efficient product flow from vendor to store
Team Leadership
- Manage and mentor a team of buyers and category coordinators, providing clear direction and support for their development
- Set team objectives, review performance, and foster a collaborative, high-performance culture
- Promote ownership, initiative, and accountability within the merchandising function
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with marketing to support new product launches, brand campaigns, and seasonal category highlights
- Collaborate with store operations and visual merchandising to ensure consistent and compelling in-store execution
- Align with the e-commerce team to ensure strong online representation and alignment with store assortments
- Liaise with finance and supply chain to monitor budgets, forecast accuracy, and inventory targets
What You Bring
- 5+ years of progressive experience in retail buying, category management, procurement or merchandising
- A strong understanding of assortment planning, sales forecasting, and vendor negotiations
- Demonstrated success in driving category performance and margin improvements
- Advanced Excel and data analysis skills; experience with retail planning systems is an asset
- Experience in beauty, fashion, or consumer lifestyle is preferred
- Passion for retail beauty and lifestyle culture; knowledge of key brands and trends is a strong asset
- Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills
- Multilingual ability is considered an asset
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
