Assistant Category Manager

Indigo Books & Music; Toronto; On-site; CAD 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a passionate Assistant Category Manager to help shape product strategies and enhance customer experiences. In this dynamic role, you will support the Category Manager in executing category plans, ensuring optimal inventory levels, and identifying growth opportunities. Your expertise in negotiation and organizational skills will be crucial as you collaborate with various teams to drive success. Join a vibrant culture that values creativity, diversity, and community impact, and make a meaningful contribution to a beloved Canadian brand.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years experience in buying and category management.
• Proven ability to build productive business relationships.

Responsibilities

• Support the Category Manager in developing category strategies.
• Assist in building a compelling assortment of products.

Skills

Category Management

Negotiation Skills

Organizational Skills

Microsoft Office Suite

Education

Post-secondary education in business

Job description

Dedicated to telling stories and creating experiences, Indigo is always looking for bright, energetic and customer-focused people who can help bring our exciting mission to life in one of our more than 170 Indigo, Indigospirit, Chapters and Coles stores across Canada. We offer a variety of exciting opportunities at our retail stores, distribution centres, and home office for people who share our passions and want to be part of a dynamic and enriching culture.

WHO WE ARE

• We love books and all things beautiful
• We are Canada’s Cultural Department Store
• Books are our heart and our soul and Great Books are JUST the Beginning…

We play by the following rules:

• We exist to add joy to our customers’ lives each and every time they interact with us and our products
• Our job is to create joyful moments for our customers
• We treat each other the way we’d treat a valued friend
• We inspire each other to do our best work
• We seek to ignite creativity and innovation every day
• We give back to the communities in which we operate

Job Description

The Assistant Category Manager is responsible for supporting and executing product category strategy for both online and retail sales channels. This role effectively communicates and engages cross-functionally to gain support for executing product category plans and objectives.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

• Sales, Profit and Inventory Targets
• Store Support ticket resolution

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Functional

• Support the Category Manager in developing and executing category strategies to meet and exceed sales, margin, and inventory goals.
• Support with day-to-day category administrative responsibilities, including item setup, reporting, store issue resolution, sample, and purchase order management.
• Support the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process, ensuring appropriate stock levels
• Assist in building a compelling assortment of private-brand and national brand products for Indigo and Indigo.ca
• Seek out and identify new opportunities to grow and expand the category by benchmarking the competition and finding new categories, products and best practices
• Create vendor meeting agendas, analysis and recaps
• Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all decision-making and design processes
• Proactively identify and anticipate customer expectations and needs
• Embrace and seek out technology that creates high-tech and high-touch solutions for Indigo’s customers
• Challenge the status quo by consistently identifying areas for improvement, diagnosing issues and working to resolve them

People

• Collaborate with others to drive flexible and iterative solutions, quickly and easily.
• Share technical knowledge with others and seek to learn from those more knowledgeable than yourself.
• Help others see the impacts of their efforts and proactively engage other functions to get input.
• Encourage others to freely share their point of view and be open to feedback.

Cultural

• Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all design and decision-making processes.
• Challenge the status quo and consistently identify areas for improvement, diagnose issues and working to resolve them.
• Model Indigo’s beliefs and convey a positive image in everything you do
• Celebrate diversity of thought and have an open mindset
• Take an active role in fostering a culture of continual learning, taking risks without the fear of making mistakes
• Embrace, champion and influence change through your team and/or the organization

SCOPE

Reports to: Category Manager

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

• Planning Managers and Assistant Planning Managers
• Stores and Retail Operations
• Creative Studio
• Product Development and Design
• Visual Merchandising and Store Design
• Supply Chain, Logistics, and Distribution Centre
• Marketing & Online

External

Qualifications

Work Experience / Education / Certifications

• Post-secondary education in business or a related field
• Minimum 2 year’s experience in buying and category management or related field
• Proven ability to build productive business relationships with both internal and external partners
• Proven ability to negotiate effectively with external business partners
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and reacting quickly to shifting priorities
• Passion for the category
• Expert in Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint)

Other (travel, Bilingual, etc.)

• Some travel may be required to trade shows, regional stores and promotional events (approximately 10%)

Additional Information

At Indigo, we are committed to our communities, our customers, and each other; together we can make a positive impact. We know that fostering diversity and inclusion brings out your full potential and creates a joyful and welcoming environment for everyone. We are driven to be an equitable employer, which highly values your diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that you, in all your uniqueness, belong at Indigo. We welcome all applicants and encourage applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, a person of colour, LGBTQ2+ and people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request to individuals who self-identify as having a disability or special need. Please contact Human Resources at [e-mail] if you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process.

WELCOME HOME

About the company

Indigo Books & Music Inc., known as "Indigo" and stylized "!ndigo", is a Canadian bookstore chain.