Category Manager

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

Benefits offered by this job

Extended Health & Dental Care

RRSP contributions

EFAP

Rewards & Recognition program

Employee discounts

Extensive training and development

Job summary

Swish, a proudly Canadian, family-owned cleaning supplies company, is seeking a Category Manager in Peterborough, Ontario. You will oversee assigned product categories from purchasing and merchandising perspectives, balancing availability, supplier performance, cost, margin, and customer needs.

You will analyze sales, margins, inventory, and data to drive growth, build supplier relationships, and support Sales, Marketing, e-Commerce and Operations.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Business, Supply Chain, Merchandising or related field preferred.
• 3–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, merchandising, category management or related role.
• Experience with ERP systems; Epicor P21 is a nice-to-have.
• Strong analytical and commercial skills including costing, margin, inventory and product performance.
• Advanced Excel and/or Google Sheets skills (PivotTables, lookup functions).
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation and supplier-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies for assigned product categories.
• Review product performance and make SKU additions, rationalizations, substitutions, and product alignment recommendations.
• Analyze sales, margin, inventory, supplier, and product data to identify growth opportunities.
• Manage purchasing activities to support product availability and inventory objectives.
• Build strong supplier relationships and negotiate pricing, terms, rebates, and programs.
• Monitor supplier performance, lead times, backorders, pricing, and product availability.
• Identify alternative products and suppliers to reduce supply risk.
• Maintain accurate product, supplier, costing, and purchasing data in ERP system.
• Support new product setup, SKU management, system coding, and PIM enrichment.
• Collaborate 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 understanding of products, suppliers, customers, competitors, and market trends.
• Perform other duties and participate in departmental initiatives as assigned.

Skills

Category management

Purchasing

Merchandising

Data analysis

Excel/Google Sheets

Communication

Negotiation

Supplier management

Inventory

Problem solving

Education

Post-secondary education in Business, Supply Chain, Merchandising

Equivalent work experience considered

Tools

Epicor P21

Job description

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

A people‑first company

• 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