Category Manager

Swish Maintenance Limited; Peterborough; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended Health & Dental Care

RRSP contributions

EFAP

Employee discounts

Job summary

Swish Maintenance Limited in Peterborough, Ontario is seeking a Category Manager to lead assigned product categories from purchasing through merchandising. You will balance product availability, supplier performance, cost, margin, assortment, and working capital while supporting Sales, Marketing, e-Commerce, Operations, and growth.

You will leverage data, supplier relationships, and market knowledge to improve category performance, strengthen the product portfolio, and drive profitable growth.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, merchandising, category management, or a related role.
• Demonstrated ERP experience; Epicor P21 experience is an asset.
• Strong analytical and commercial skills, with understanding of costing, margin, inventory, and product performance.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets skills, including PivotTables and lookup functions.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and supplier-management skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities.
• Customer-focused with strong problem-solving and continuous improvement skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies for assigned product categories.
• Review product performance and make recommendations on SKU additions, rationalization, substitutions, and product alignment.
• Analyze sales, margin, inventory, supplier, and product data to identify growth and improvement opportunities.
• Manage purchasing activities to support product availability and inventory objectives.
• Build strong supplier relationships and negotiate competitive pricing, terms, rebates, and programs.
• Monitor supplier performance, lead times, backorders, pricing, and product availability.
• Identify alternative products and suppliers to improve competitiveness and reduce supply risk.
• Maintain accurate product, supplier, costing, and purchasing data within the ERP system.
• Support new product setup, SKU management, system coding, and PIM enrichment.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, e-Commerce, Operations, Finance, and Branch teams on category initiatives.
• Develop and maintain category and purchasing metrics, reports, and KPIs.
• Identify opportunities to improve margin, inventory productivity, data quality, processes, and customer service.

Skills

ERP systems

Excel / Google Sheets

Negotiation

Supplier management

Analytical skills

Communication

Organization

Education

Post-secondary education in Business / Supply Chain / Merchandising

Tools

Epicor P21

Excel

Job description

About Swish

Swish is a proudly Canadian, family-owned company that has been operating since 1956. From coast to coast, we help communities feel confident that the spaces where they work and live are clean, safe, and hygienic. We are Canada's source for high-quality cleaning supplies and equipment, offering professional-grade, environmentally responsible solutions tailored to our customers’ needs. Our product and service categories include: Hand Hygiene, Surface Disinfecting, Kitchen, Laundry & Warewash, Floor Care & Matting, Cleaning Tools & Powered Equipment, Safety, PPE, and more. At Swish, our people are at the heart of everything we do.

Join Swish as a Category Manager

About Swish

Swish is a proudly Canadian, family-owned company that has been operating since 1956. From coast to coast, we help communities feel confident that the spaces where they work and live are clean, safe, and hygienic. We are Canada's source for high-quality cleaning supplies and equipment, offering professional-grade, environmentally responsible solutions tailored to our customers’ needs. Our product and service categories include: Hand Hygiene, Surface Disinfecting, Kitchen, Laundry & Warewash, Floor Care & Matting, Cleaning Tools & Powered Equipment, Safety, PPE, and more. At Swish, our people are at the heart of everything we do.

About The Role

The Category Manager is responsible for managing assigned product categories from both a purchasing and merchandising perspective. This role balances product availability, supplier performance, cost, margin, assortment, working capital constraints and customer needs while supporting Sales, Marketing, e-Commerce, Operations, and overall business growth.

The Category Manager will use data, supplier relationships, and market knowledge to improve category performance, strengthen the product portfolio, and support profitable growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies for assigned product categories.
• Review product performance and make recommendations on SKU additions, rationalization, substitutions, and product alignment.
• Analyze sales, margin, inventory, supplier, and product data to identify growth and improvement opportunities.
• Manage purchasing activities to support product availability and inventory objectives.
• Build strong supplier relationships and negotiate competitive pricing, terms, rebates, and programs.
• Monitor supplier performance, lead times, backorders, pricing, and product availability.
• Identify alternative products and suppliers to improve competitiveness and reduce supply risk.
• Manage the RGA process with branches, Finance, and suppliers to ensure timely resolution of inventory returns, credits, and related supplier issues.
• Maintain accurate product, supplier, costing, and purchasing data within the ERP system.
• Support new product setup, SKU management, system coding, and PIM enrichment.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, e-Commerce, Operations, Finance, and Branch teams on category initiatives.
• Develop and maintain category and purchasing metrics, reports, and KPIs.
• Identify opportunities to improve margin, inventory productivity, data quality, processes, and customer service.
• Maintain a strong understanding of assigned products, suppliers, customers, competitors, and market trends.
• Perform other duties and participate in departmental initiatives as assigned.

What You Bring

• Post-secondary education in Business, Supply Chain, Merchandising, or a related field preferred (equivalent work experience will be considered)
• 3–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, merchandising, category management, or a related role.
• Demonstrated experience working with an ERP system; Epicor P21 experience is an asset.
• Strong analytical and commercial skills, with an understanding of costing, margin, inventory, and product performance.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets skills, including PivotTables and lookup functions.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and supplier-management skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities.
• Customer-focused with strong problem-solving and continuous improvement skills.

Job Details & What We Offer

• Membership in the Swish family - we treat our employees with integrity and have since 1956

The role

• Location: Peterborough, Ontario
• Salary Range: $60,000 to $85,000 (based on skills and experience)
• Variable compensation: Annual performance bonus eligibility
• Vacation: Starting at 3 weeks

Benefits From Day 1

• Company-paid Extended Health & Dental Care
• Company contributions to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
• Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

Extras that matter

• Rewards & Recognition program that celebrates great work and meaningful contributions
• Access to hundreds of employee discounts across home, wellness, travel, fashion, and more
• Unlimited training and development with an industry-leading brand to help you grow your career

Role Information

Newly created role that evolved from an existing vacancy

Equal Opportunity

Swish is an equal opportunity employer offering a competitive compensation and benefits package, along with excellent opportunities for professional development and advancement within a growing Canadian organization.

Accessibility & Accommodation

Swish is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment and workplace experience in accordance with applicable human rights and accessibility legislation across Canada. Accommodation is available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process. Applicants requiring accommodation may contact Human Resources at any stage.

Pre-Employment Screening

Swish is committed to maintaining a safe and secure work environment. As a condition of employment, candidates will be required to complete background screening, including criminal record checks where permitted by law and where relevant to the position, or where required by client sites. For roles involving the operation of a company motor vehicle, a valid driver's license and a satisfactory driver's abstract will also be required.

AI Disclosure

Swish uses artificial intelligence technology to assist in the initial screening and assessment of applications. AI is used only as a support tool; no hiring decisions are made solely by automated systems. All final hiring decisions are made by a human. We are committed to a hiring process that maintains the highest integrity and prioritizes a fair, positive experience for every candidate.