Associate Category Manager

Ad Populum; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 84,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

Ad Populum seeks an Associate Category Manager to develop and execute category strategies across retail and e-commerce. You will work closely with the Category Director and partners across Product Development, Marketing, Sourcing, Planning, and Operations to manage assortments and launch new products.

The role emphasizes analytical thinking, collaboration, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Hybrid work and growth opportunities are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field.
• 3–5 years in category management or related roles.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, and Office Suite.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to be in office up to 3 days a week in the Greater Toronto Area.

Responsibilities

• Support development and execution of category strategies.
• Analyze performance, trends, and opportunities.
• Assist in assortment planning and product lifecycle management.
• Prepare recommendations for new products and promotions.
• Coordinate product launches and merchandising initiatives.
• Develop business reports and dashboards.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Organization

Communication

Multitasking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Office Suite

Job description

We are seeking an Associate Category Manager to support the development and execution of category strategies that drive profitable sales growth across retail and e-commerce channels. Working closely under the Category Director, the ACM will partner with Product Development, Marketing, Sourcing, Planning, and Operations, to manage product assortments, analyze business performance, coordinate product launches, and execute marketing and merchandising initiatives. This position is ideal for a highly analytical, organized, and collaborative professional. The successful candidate is customer-focused, detail-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced environment where balancing multiple priorities is essential.

Responsibilities:

Category & Assortment Management

• Support the development and execution of category strategies to achieve sales, margin, and growth objectives.
• Analyze category performance, customer trends, competitive activity, and market opportunities.
• Assist in assortment planning, product lifecycle management, and seasonal merchandising.
• Prepare recommendations for new products, assortment changes, pricing, and promotional opportunities.
• Maintain product line reviews, assortment matrices, and category planning documents.

Business Analytics & Reporting

• Monitor sales, profitability, inventory, and customer performance metrics.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly business reports and dashboards.
• Identify trends, risks, and growth opportunities through data analysis.
• Support forecasting and inventory planning activities with cross-functional partners.
• Develop presentations for internal business reviews and retail meetings.
• Coordinate new product introductions and product setup activities.
• Work closely with Product Development on trend right, exclusive product launches.
• Partner with suppliers to collect product information, marketing assets, and pricing updates.
• Track supplier performance and assist with product issue resolution.
• Support sourcing initiatives, cost analysis, and vendor communications.

Marketing & Go-to-Market Execution

• Collaborate with Marketing to execute product launches, promotional campaigns, catalogs, digital content, and sales materials.
• Ensure product messaging, imagery, and descriptions accurately represent category strategies.
• Maintain accurate online product content, specifications, images, and merchandising attributes.
• Monitor online assortment performance and identify opportunities to improve conversion and customer engagement.
• Support digital merchandising initiatives and product launch readiness.
• Coordinate with digital teams to ensure timely execution of online promotions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, Product Development, and Planning to execute category initiatives.
• Coordinate project timelines and ensure key milestones are met.
• Support retail presentations, line reviews, and internal planning meetings.
• Manage multiple projects while maintaining strong attention to detail and meeting deadlines.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in category management, merchandising, buying, planning, marketing, sales support, product management, or a related role.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to be in office up to 3 days a week in the Greater Toronto Area.

Preferred:

• Experience in buying, retail, consumer products, toys, gifting, seasonal merchandise, or adjacent industries.
• Exposure to inventory planning, forecasting, or supplier management.
• Experience with e-commerce merchandising platforms, PIM systems, or ERP software.
• Familiarity with business intelligence tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms.
• Opportunity to shape the future of a growing company
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Opportunities for professional growth and development

The hiring range for this hybrid position is between 84,000-98,000 CAD per year.

Ad Populum LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identify, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.

ABOUT AD POPULUM:

Ad Populum aligns corporate strategy and fosters growth across its diverse portfolio of legendary brands, including: NECA, the industry leader in pop culture action figures and collectibles, Rubies, the #1 costumes company in the world, Enesco, known for Department 56, a top purveyor of holiday décor, Kidrobot, a globally recognized, premier creator of limited edition art toys, plush and lifestyle accessories, WizKids, a top producer of miniatures and award winning table top games worldwide, JEI, the creators of American icons such as the Chia Pet and Clapper, ExKaliber, an esteemed collective of Amazon brands that ranks among the top 150 Amazon sellers globally, Graceland, Rock n Roll’s top destination and #1 music attraction in the world, Smiffys, a leading global innovator in fancy dress, Halloween and Carnival manufacturing since 1894, and Party City, the global leader in the celebrations industry helping tens of millions of people create unforgettable memories.