Category Specialist

North Sydney, AU #job-location.job-location-inline { display: inline; }; North Sydney Council; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Product allowance

Brand discounts

Hybrid work

Wellness amenities

Job summary

EssilorLuxottica is seeking a commercially-minded Category Manager to lead the Audiology product category across Australia and New Zealand on a temporary contract from ASAP through to late November 2026. You’ll own product selection, supplier management, pricing strategy and inventory planning, with leadership over demand planning to ensure optimal stock levels and forecast accuracy.

Collaborate with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing and external vendors to drive category performance

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years' experience in category management, buying, product management or merchandise planning.
• Experience in hearing aids, audiology, medical devices or retail healthcare desirable.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to interpret complex data and influence stakeholders.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; SAP and BI tools preferred.
• Strong project management skills, able to hit the ground running and manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies aligned to business goals, including market research, pricing, promotions and product lifecycle management.
• Build and manage strong supplier relationships, negotiating terms and driving vendor performance to support category outcomes.
• Provide leadership oversight of planning and inventory, ensuring robust forecasting and stock availability across channels.
• Use data analytics to track sales, profitability and forecast accuracy, identifying growth opportunities.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to develop selling tools, campaigns and consistent product messaging.
• Collaborate with global teams and vendors to identify product gaps and lead go-to-market strategies for new launches.
• Monitor key performance metrics and manage category budgets to deliver ROI.

Skills

Category management

Buying

Product management

Merchandise planning

Analytical skills

Financial acumen

Microsoft Office

Vendor management

Forecasting

Project management

Tools

SAP

BI tools

Job description

North Sydney, AU #job-location.job-location-inline { display: inline; } – North Sydney NSW

We are EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses. We bring together the expertise of two industry pioneers, one in advanced lens technologies and the other in the craftsmanship of iconic eyewear, creating a vertically integrated business that is uniquely positioned to address the world’s evolving vision needs. We craft exclusive eyewear brands Ray-Ban, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Costa and more, alongside esteemed licensed brands such as Tiffany & Co, Burberry, and CHANEL whilst our cutting-edge lenses Varilux and Transitions lead the industry in innovation. In Australia and New Zealand, we operate the iconic retail and eye care brands: Sunglass Hut, Oakley, OPSM, Ray-Ban and Laubman & Pank. Every day, EssilorLuxottica’s 190,000 employees in 150 countries work towards a common mission to help people see more and be more.

We're seeking a commercially-minded Category Manager to lead strategic planning and execution across our Audiology product category for Australia and New Zealand, on a temporary contract basis starting ASAP through to late November 2026. You'll own product selection, supplier management, pricing strategy and inventory planning, while providing leadership oversight of demand planning to ensure optimal stock levels and forecast accuracy.

Working closely with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing and external vendors, you'll drive category performance against financial targets, forecast accuracy and stakeholder engagement.

Your Responsibilities

Develop and execute category strategies aligned to business goals, including market research, pricing, promotions and product lifecycle management.

Build and manage strong supplier relationships, negotiating terms and driving vendor performance to support category outcomes.

Provide leadership oversight of planning and inventory, ensuring robust forecasting and stock availability across channels.

Use data analytics to track sales, profitability and forecast accuracy, identifying growth opportunities.

Partner with Sales and Marketing to develop selling tools, campaigns and consistent product messaging.

Collaborate with global teams and vendors to identify product gaps and lead go-to-market strategies for new launches.

Monitor key performance metrics and manage category budgets to deliver ROI.

About You

3–5+ years' experience in category management, buying, product management or merchandise planning, ideally with oversight of planning functions.

Experience in hearing aids, audiology, medical devices or retail healthcare highly desirable - though we're open on industry background for the right commercial operator.

Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to interpret complex data and influence stakeholders.

Proficient in Microsoft Office; experience with SAP and BI tools preferred.

Strong project management skills, able to hit the ground running and manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

Working at EssilorLuxottica

A career with EssilorLuxottica will offer you rewarding experiences and the opportunity to develop your skills every day. Working at our head-office located in North Sydney, you will enjoy:

Generous yearly $1,500 product allowance and Family & Friends discounts of up to 50% off to splurge across all our brands - OPSM, Sunglass Hut, Oakley, Ray-Ban, Laubman & Pank and EyeQ

Up to 50% off Oakley eyewear and apparel throughout the year.

Wellness amenities including reformer a Pilates studio, Yoga classes, Personal training and Bike storage.

Abundance of local cafes, a major shopping centre and close to public transport facilities

Volunteering with our charity partner OneSight, including volunteer leave and iChampion ambassador opportunities.

Wide range of career opportunities across the EssilorLuxottica network

Complimentary full-time concierge services offering an exclusive hotel-style experience!

Options for a hybrid working environment

As an inclusive, team-first company, our people are at the core of everything we do.

We care deeply about creating a workplace where our team members feel valued, respected and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or life stage.

We value flexibility and encourage our team members to work in ways that meet their work/life commitments and support their wellbeing.

We work hard to create a safe and inclusive environment for all, and most importantly, we're all about creating better experiences - for our customers and for each other.