Category Business Manager - Hardgoods (12 Month Contract)

FGL Sports; Calgary; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Sport Chek in Calgary seeks a Category Business Manager who leads the Merchandising Strategic Business Unit, owning the category strategy, assortment, allocation, and marketing initiatives for in-store and digital channels. The role requires data-driven decision making to optimize sales, margin and inventory turnover.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, analyze product and market data, and drive innovations in assortment and private label opportunities while building strong

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in retail in a merchandising/buying/analytical role, or similar role.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, influence, and negotiate with colleagues and business members / management.
• Strong presentation skills with demonstrated ability to adjust style and format as required to suit the audience.
• Marketplace knowledge within the sportswear, lifestyle team sports, and outdoor industries, would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated proficiency in inventory practices with an understanding of their financial and operational impacts.
• The ability to challenge and voice concerns, as well as be very adaptable and flexible in a dynamic retail environment.
• Time management and planning skills.
• Work with a sense of urgency and take extreme ownership.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to manage complexity and adapt in a fast-paced retail environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead category ownership for assortment, allocation and marketing strategies across both in-store and digital channels.
• Develop and implement category plans to effectively deliver financial objectives related to the category.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support vendor negotiations and to create customer-centric assortments.
• Analyze category performance and trends to drive inventory turns, margin and sales growth.
• Manage Open-to-Buy and inventory targets, and coordinate with distribution centers.

Skills

Retail merchandising

Collaboration

Negotiation

Presentation

Sportswear knowledge

Inventory management

Adaptability

Time management

Ownership

Entrepreneurship

Critical thinking

Job description

What you'll do

Reporting to the AVP, the Category Business Manager is the key leader in the Merchandising Strategic Business Unit (SBU). Operating as the business owner for the category, within established policies, procedures, and FGL business goals, the Category Business Manager, is responsible for the selection, purchase, and allocation of product to achieve category sales, margin and inventory turnover targets. The Category Manager plays a leadership role in driving sales performance through the development and implementation of assortment, allocation and marketing strategies across both in-store and digital channels.

Our Merchandising team is responsible for connecting our quality products and services with our customers. The team uses planning and forecasting frameworks and tools to ensure optimal financial results.

The Category Business Manager is responsible for the curation of product assortments, marketing initiatives and promotional strategy. Development and implementation of the category plans, to effectively deliver and achieve the financial objectives related to the category and the management of inventory targets and deliveries. Our best Category Business Managers are SMEs (subject-matter-experts) who connect well with all key stakeholders and are committed to better understanding our customers by analyzing product, industry and customer data to evolve their merchandising category and enhance the overall customer experience.

To excel as an Category Business Manager, you'll be able to integrate and align to the various cross-functional teams to conduct line reviews, support vendor negotiations and to create customer centric assortments. As an industry expert you will be actively identifying product and market trends within their associated lifecycles, owning product lifecycle decisions and influencing innovation pipelines, leading to your continuous advocacy for innovation and growth within the category.

Develop and implement business plans for merchandise categories including analysis of sales, industry trends, building product sales projections, validation of margin targets, inventory levels, and stock turn levels

Collaborate with Financial Planners to ensure financial plans align with category strategy

Develop and implement assortment plans including the following: store and market analysis, product line reviews with vendors, selection of programs for various banners, establishment of initial store inventory levels, strategic price setting to balance competitiveness and margin, price negotiation, and confirmation of retail pricing

Oversees purchase order status including preparation, recording, and tracking of purchase orders as well as the resolution of shipping issues with distribution centers and suppliers

Own and manage the category Open-to-Buy and inventory productivity, including analysis of product and store sales, inventory sell through, and receipts

Analyze performance by style, react to trends and opportunities

Oversee assessment of store inventory levels to provide the Merchandising Allocator support in driving sales and profitability, through the effective management of back stock and in-store inventory

Create, manage, and communicate advertising support for both traditional and digital media. Collaborate with the social marketing team to create social engagement strategies for categories

Be a Sport Chek ambassador. Speak knowledgably regarding the Sport Chek story, strategic plan, and direction

Build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external partners

Lead and influence cross-functional partners to deliver category strategies and initiatives

Negotiate policy agreements including discounts, payment and freight terms, volume rebates, brand development, co-op advertising and TRM extra project funds

Collaborate with the consumer brands division to develop private label products, support retail price point conversation, and approve samples

Develop and implement seasonal and annual category strategies

Conduct market tours of Sport Chek and competitive retail with the intent to drive continual improvement

What you bring

• You have 5+ years of experience in retail in a merchandising/buying/analytical role, or similar role
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, influence, and negotiate with colleagues and business members / management
• Strong presentation skills with demonstrated ability to adjust style and format as required to suit the audience
• Marketplace knowledge within the sportswear, lifestyle team sports, and outdoor industries, would be an advantage
• Demonstrated proficiency in inventory practices with an understanding of their financial and operational impacts
• The ability to challenge and voice concerns, as well as be very adaptable and flexible in a dynamic retail environment
• Time management and planning skills
• Work with a sense of urgency and take extreme ownership
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to manage complexity and adapt in a fast-paced re