Assistant Category Manager

About Qra (pronounced Q-ra) - is a modern lifestyle grocer; thoughtfully designed to bring communities closer through quality food, curated selections, and personalised experiences; all with a genuine Qra touch. 

We are looking for a strategic and entrepreneurial Assistant Category Manager. This role goes beyond buying - you will be accountable for driving the category’s growth, profitability, and ensuring the category stays relevant to our customers.

In this position, you will have the autonomy to make a meaningful impact, shaping the customer experience, and grow your career in a fast-paced, collaborative, and innovative environment. You will also develop and execute data-driven strategies through sourcing the right products, understanding market trends, and collaborating across the business to ensure your category thrives.

If you are a natural negotiator, data-driven, and love building things from the ground up, this role is for you!

Responsibilities:

• Category Strategy: Develop, own, and execute the end-to-end strategy for the categories to achieve sales, margin, and growth targets.
• Sourcing & Vendor Management: Identify, build, and maintain strong, long-term relationships with suppliers and vendors. Lead negotiations on pricing, promotions, and terms to ensure the best value.
• Data-Driven Insights: Utilise sales data, customer insights, and market analysis to anticipate consumer trends, identify gaps, and discover new opportunities for growth.
• Merchandising & Promotion: Plan and implement promotional calendars, pricing strategies, and merchandising plans to drive sales and customer engagement.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Marketing and Operations teams to ensure successful product launches, effective promotions, and optimal inventory levels.
• P&L Management: Take responsibility for the financial performance of your category, including revenue, pricing, and profitability.
• Start-up Agility: Embrace a hands-on approach in our fast-paced environment. Be prepared to multitask and leverage your skills to support other business priorities as they arise.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field is preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in category management, buying, or merchandising, preferably within the FMCG, supermarket, or retail industry.
• Experience working in a start-up or high-growth e-commerce environment; or direct experience managing Pantry, Grocery, or Household product categories will be added advantage.
• Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable business strategies.
• Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills. You can build rapport easily and secure favourable terms.
• A genuine passion for understanding customer needs, market trends and love for bringing products to our customers.
• Excellent collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively with diverse teams.
• Innovative with passion and love for bringing products to our customers.
• A self-starter with a positive and can-do attitude, proactive and hands-on approach. Get things done right, and fast!

Skills

Merchandising, Category Management, Category Strategy