Category Strategy Manager (12 Month FTC)

Kmart Australia Limited; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

Team member discount (Kmart/Target/OFF

Brighter Benefits program access

Bonus program eligibility

Inclusive parental leave

Mentor program opportunities

Job summary

Kmart Australia Limited in Melbourne is seeking an experienced Category Strategy Manager on a 12‑month fixed term contract. You will own end‑to‑end category strategy, leveraging customer insights and commercial thinking to drive growth across the Kmart and Target brands.

You’ll translate strategy into actionable marketing plans, collaborate with Merchandise to shape priorities, and lead in‑year optimisation using trading data to identify opportunities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of marketing and communications experience, ideally within retail or major brands.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field.
• Proven ability to develop strategic category marketing plans that deliver growth.

Responsibilities

• Own 6‑month, 12‑month, 3‑year, and always‑on category marketing strategies.
• Act as category customer and marketing expert across audiences and channels.
• Translate category strategy into actionable marketing plans for each brand.

Skills

Marketing leadership

Category strategy

Customer insights

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Planning and project mgmt

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing

Job description

Brighter Futures Start Here

We are an inclusive team who power two of the most iconic and loved brands, Kmart and Target. We have more than 50,000 passionate individuals across our stores, distribution centres, and offices around the globe.

Brighter Futures Start Here

We are an inclusive team who power two of the most iconic and loved brands, Kmart and Target. We have more than 50,000 passionate individuals across our stores, distribution centres, and offices around the globe. With our brands touching the lives of almost two million customers every week, you’ll feel the impact of the work you’ll do every day. As a leader in the retail market, we’re optimistic about our future and yours. We’re changing at a rapid rate, giving you challenging work that you’ll be proud of.

Join the team

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Category Strategy Manager to join our team on a 12‑month fixed term contract! In this role, you will own the end‑to‑end category strategy, setting clear short, medium and long‑term direction. You’ll bring together deep customer understanding, commercial thinking and marketing expertise to influence category marketing direction and turn insight into clear, actionable strategies that drive growth.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Own and develop 6-month, 12-month, 3-year and always‑on category marketing strategies, leveraging customer insights and business objectives to establish a clear strategic direction.
• Act as the category customer and marketing expert, developing a strong point of view across audiences, channel performance, category dynamics and the competitive landscape.
• Translate category strategy into clear, actionable marketing and communications plans for each brand.
• Partner closely with Merchandise to shape joint strategies and priorities across growth, maintain and decline categories.
• Use customer insights, performance data and trading insights to identify category gaps, changing customer behaviours and opportunities to drive commercial outcomes.
• Lead in‑year optimisation of category marketing activity, identifying opportunities across channels, messages, assets and audiences and recommending course corrections where required.
• Develop strong briefs for communications teams, agencies and internal creative teams, with clear objectives, key messages and measures of success.

To be successful in this role you’ll have

• 10+ years’ marketing and communications experience, ideally within retail, FMCG or other major brands.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a related Business discipline.
• Demonstrated experience developing strategic category marketing plans that deliver incremental and sustained commercial growth.
• Strong business and commercial acumen, with the ability to translate customer and business insights into effective communications strategies.
• Experience delivering measurable and scalable commercial impact through marketing plans.
• Strong influencing, negotiation and decision‑making skills, with the ability to build and manage complex relationships across internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong planning, organisational and project management capability.
• A highly collaborative approach and the ability to influence cross‑functional teams while balancing long‑term strategic priorities with fast‑moving in‑year opportunities.

Benefits we’ll offer you

• Flexible hybrid working options through our Flex Where, Flex When, Flex Well policy.
• A team member discount card that gives you a discount at Kmart, Target, Officeworks and Bunnings
• Access to the Brighter Benefits program which entitles you to exclusive discounts and benefits in the areas of entertainment, travel, lifestyle, and health – with over 60 suppliers!
• We want you to feel rewarded for your commitment and hard work that's why eligible team members get the opportunity to participate in a bonus program
• We offer inclusive parental leave, and ongoing support offered through our partnership with Circle In for team members of all backgrounds and family circumstances
• A dynamic learning and support program
• Opportunity to fast track your career through our Mentor Program as a Mentee or Mentor
• A Kudos recognition program, where you are nominated by your peers to spin a wheel, to win a stack of cool prizes
• Great career opportunities across the broader Wesfarmers Group

We celebrate the rich diversity of the communities in which we operate. We are committed to creating inclusive and safe environments where all our team members can contribute and succeed. We believe that all team members should feel valued, respected and safe, and strive to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and welcoming, with applications encouraged from all candidates.

We encourage you to tell us about any workplace adjustments that you would like, by emailing [e-mail].