Senior Sports Category Manager: Strategy & Growth

GMG; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 540,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Job summary

GMG is seeking a Category Manager to lead end-to-end category management for Sports. You will drive sales growth, optimize inventory, and shape strategies across product ranges, pricing, and promotions to align with brand positioning and business goals.

You will lead and coach Buying and Merchandising teams, collaborating with Marketing, Operations, and Finance to ensure optimal assortments and performance. A track record in supplier negotiations and inventory optimization is essential.

Qualifications

• 7 years in category management.
• 5 years in sports retail.
• Proficiency in SAP ERP tools.
• Experience in supplier negotiations.
• Proven track record leading categories with sales and margin impact.
• Experience in supplier management, negotiations, and contract management.
• Advanced experience with inventory optimization and retail performance metrics.

Responsibilities

• Own the category strategy for assigned Sports categories, defining vision, positioning, and commercial priorities.
• Lead assortment planning and execution, including product selection, pricing, lifecycle management, and inventory optimization.
• Conduct in-depth market and customer analysis to shape category plans.
• Develop and oversee promotional and campaign plans to maximize category sales, margin, and stock health.
• Lead buying and merchandising teams to ensure assortments meet brand and category positioning.
• Monitor supplier performance, negotiate terms and contracts, and secure pricing and service levels.
• Use SAP, Power BI and category management systems to track performance and identify improvements.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels and balance stock productivity with working capital targets.
• Collaborate with Logistics and Supply Chain to ensure smooth product flow and manage risks.

Skills

Category management

Assortment planning

Retail pricing strategies

Data analytics

Negotiation

Strategic planning

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business

Supply Chain Management degree

SAP certification

Power BI certification

Postgraduate degree (advantageous)

Tools

SAP

Power BI

Excel

Category management systems

Job description

GMG is seeking a Category Manager to lead end-to-end category management for Sports. You will drive sales growth, optimize inventory, and shape strategies across product ranges, pricing, and promotions to align with brand positioning and business goals.

You will lead and coach Buying and Merchandising teams, collaborating with Marketing, Operations, and Finance to ensure optimal assortments and performance. A track record in supplier negotiations and inventory optimization is essential.