Category Manager

Vast Auto Distribution; Brampton; Presencial; CAD 85.000 - 120.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Vast Auto Distribution in Canada is seeking a Category Manager to lead end-to-end category strategies across corporate stores and wholesale customers, driving revenue, margin, and inventory health.

You will collaborate with Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, and Finance, manage vendor relationships, and develop Canadian-market differentiated offerings with support from O’Reilly U.S. merchandising team.

Formación

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, or a related field (required).
• 2–3 years’ experience in merchandising, category management, or related retail/wholesale role (required).
• Automotive industry experience or product knowledge (preferred).
• Familiarity with cataloging systems (Weatherly Index) or ASE Certification (preferred).
• Strong analytical skills with experience managing or influencing P&L performance.
• Excellent negotiation skills with a win-win approach.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and MS Office; reporting and inventory systems experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to present findings and influence stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Customer service-oriented mindset with relationship-building.

Responsabilidades

• Deliver financial plans by maximizing revenue, margin, and inventory productivity.
• Develop, implement, and refine assortment, sales, and buying strategies aligned with customer needs and business objectives.
• Leverage existing reporting tools while helping evolve new metrics to support smarter decision-making.
• Analyze market, customer, and competitive data to identify growth opportunities and risks.
• Provide clear merchandising direction for assigned categories, ensuring alignment across teams.
• Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to execute strategies effectively.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative vendor relationships that drive innovation, profitability, and long-term value.
• Partner closely with O’Reilly U.S. merchandising team to support the development of differentiated and proprietary product offerings for the Canadian market.
• Represent the category in key forums, including Joint Business Planning, promotional planning, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Take accountability for key decisions and results.
• Contribute to a culture of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement — for yourself and those around you.

Conocimientos

Merchandising

Category management

Negotiation

Excel

P&L management

Vendor management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Educación

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, or related field

Herramientas

Weatherly Index

ASE Certification

Descripción del empleo

How you will make an impact?

As a Category Manager, you will use teamwork and collaboration to manage multiple product categories end to end, partnering cross-functionally to develop and execute category strategies that drive financial performance, market share, and inventory health across corporate stores and wholesale customers.

What you’ll do:

• Deliver financial plans by maximizing revenue, margin, and inventory productivity.
• Develop, implement, and continuously refine assortment, sales, and buying strategies aligned with customer needs and business objectives.
• Leverage existing reporting tools while helping evolve new metrics to support smarter decision-making.
• Analyze market, customer, and competitive data to identify growth opportunities and risks.
• Provide clear merchandising direction for assigned categories, ensuring alignment across teams.
• Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to execute strategies effectively.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative vendor relationships that drive innovation, profitability, and long-term value.
• Partner closely with O’Reilly U.S. merchandising team to support the development of differentiated and proprietary product offerings for the Canadian market.
• Represent the category in key forums, including Joint Business Planning, promotional planning, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Take accountability for key decisions and results.
• Contribute to a culture of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement — for yourself and those around you.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, or a related field (required).
• Minimum of 2–3 years’ experience in merchandising, category management, or a related retail/wholesale role (required).
• Automotive industry experience, product knowledge, or training (preferred).
• Familiarity with cataloging systems (e.g., Weatherly Index) or ASE Certification (preferred).
• Strong analytical skills with experience managing or influencing P&L performance.
• Excellent negotiation skills with a win-win approach.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other MS Office applications; ability to work with reporting and inventory systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to present findings and influence stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Customer service-oriented mindset with a focus on building strong relationships.