Category Manager

**Position Summary**:
**Industry**:Wholesale & Retail Trade

**Job category**:Merchandising

**Location**:Cape Town

**Contract**:Fixed Term Contract

**Remuneration**:Market Related

**EE position**:Yes

**Brand**:Clicks Group

**Introduction**:
We are looking to recruit a Category Manager to work within our Trading department. The role will be based at Clicks Head Office in Cape Town and will report to the Portfolio Manager.

**Job description**:
**Job Purpose**:
To develop and execute the category strategy in order to achieve and exceed the category financial targets through rapidly accelerating category depth, strengthen pricing strategy and driving private label and exclusive Brands thereby creating product differentiation and innovation to increase market share and profitability.

**Job Objectives**:

- To develop and implement a category plan for specific product ranges to ensure reduced cost of goods, optimize contract terms and increase income, assume responsibility of budget development and revenue for category
- To negotiate favourable trading terms and promotional spend (co-op), actively cultivate, develop and maintain vendor relationships and partnerships to ensure vendor performance and first to market with new product launches
- To maintain relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future product lines
- To implement a plan that will achieve the Clicks' value proposition through price and promotion whilst achieving promotional sales targets
- To translate the operating and financial plans into a balanced product assortment and visual on-shelf display to meet the customers needs
- To support the sourcing and development of private label products and exclusive brands thereby creating product differentiation, innovation and brand loyalty that will increase market share and profitability.
- To regularly review performance indicators, such as sales, margin and promo quantification, keeping the business updated on financial performance versus market and plan
- To conduct range reviews, analyze consumer buying patterns, predict future trends and stay abreast with competitor activity
- To work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders including marketing and Clubcard to ensure effective delivery of the operating plan
- To coach and support team members to embed sound procurement principles and commercial awareness

**Minimum requirements**:
**Education**:

- B Degree or Diploma in Retail, Purchasing Management or similar

**Experience**:

- 2- 4 years Category buying experience
- Managing objectives
- Experience with local and global supplier networks

**Knowledge**:

- Operating plan development
- Supplier relationship management
- Procurement and Supply Chain
- Business Objectives and Strategies
- Business Processes
- Retail Management
- Market trends and competitor analysis
- Understanding of supplier co-op negotiations and trading terms
- Financial planning and budgets
- Relevant legislation
- Sales and Margin Management

**Skills**:

- Sound Financial/Business acumen with a merchant mind-set
- Strong negotiation skills
- Planning and organisational skills
- Ability to build supplier relationships
- Competency in all computer packages, i.e. Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint
- Verbal and written communication
- Problem solving and analytical thinking
- Decision making
- Attention to detail

**Competencies**:

- Deciding and Initiating Action
- Working with People
- Persuading and Influencing
- Analyzing
- Learning and Researching
- Delivering Results & Meeting Customer Expectations
- Achieving Personal Work Goals and Objectives
- Entrepreneurial and Commercial Thinking