Category manager - undercar

Vast Auto Distribution; Brampton; On-site; CAD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Vast Auto Distribution in Brampton, Canada is seeking a Category Manager to lead end-to-end category strategies across corporate stores and wholesale customers. You will drive revenue, margin, and inventory health by optimizing assortment, buying, and pricing while collaborating with Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to deliver measurable results for the business.

The role requires strong analytical skills, 2–3 years in merchandising or category management, and familiarity with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business-related field (required).
• 2–3 years' experience in merchandising or category management (required).
• Automotive industry knowledge or training (preferred).
• Familiarity with cataloging systems (Weatherly Index) or ASE Certification (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Deliver financial plans by maximizing revenue, margin, and inventory productivity.
• Develop and refine assortment, sales, and buying strategies aligned with customer needs and business objectives.
• Leverage reporting tools while evolving 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 and align with teams.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to execute strategies.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel

Communication

Customer focus

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration / Marketing / Finance

Tools

Weatherly Index

MS Excel

Job description

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 the 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.