Director of Category Management (m/w/x)

Grover

Berlin

On-site

EUR 120,000 - 170,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Annual learning budget

Remote work days

Volunteer days

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BVG monthly discount

Job summary

Grover is seeking a Director of Category Management in Berlin to own device strategy end-to-end, from assortment to supplier relations and margin optimization. Lead a capable team and collaborate with procurement, marketing, pricing, product, and tech to steward a best-in-class catalogue.

You will drive category P&L, optimize inventory health, and push sustainable growth. English fluency is required; German proficiency is a strong advantage for the Berlin and DACH market.

Qualifications

10+ years leading cross-functional teams in category management or related buying roles.
Experience owning €10M+ category P&Ls and delivering growth.
Strong vendor negotiation, pricing, merchandising and inventory management expertise.
Fluency in English required; German is a significant advantage for the DACH market.

Responsibilities

Define and own multi-year category strategy and roadmap across device types.
Build and lead relationships with OEMs, distributors, and refurbishment partners; negotiate pricing and terms.
Own end-to-end assortment strategy, sequencing and retiring products based on demand and margins.
Shape merchandising on the platform from launch sequencing to cross-sell and bundling.
Set pricing strategy and promotional mechanics across categories; own P&L.
Partner with supply chain to optimise stock levels and lifecycle value.
Drive weekly execution against sales targets; diagnose gaps and adjust pricing and promotions.
Collaborate with Procurement, Marketing, Product, and Pricing to align category plans.
Monitor KPIs (availability, sell-through, margin, NPS) for insights and improvements.
Lead and mentor a high-performing category management team.

Skills

Category strategy

Vendor management

Assortment planning

Pricing strategy

Inventory management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decisions

English proficiency

Education

Master's degree preferred in Business/Supply Chain/Marketing

Related field experience

Tools

Forecasting software

ERP systems

Job description

Founded in 2015, Grover enables consumers and businesses across Europe to subscribe to tech devices and comprehensive technology solutions - from individual smartphones, laptops, and wearables to full corporate device setups. The company offers access to over 1,000 unique tech items on flexible and financially convenient terms. A pioneer of the circular economy, Grover refurbishes and recirculates devices to help eliminate e-waste.

We are looking for a full-time Director of Category Management (40h/week, hybrid, Tuesday-Thursday onsite) to join our talented Category Management team in Berlin.

Reporting directly to our Chief Commercial Officer, you will be a key member of the Commercial Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the business. The Director of Category Management will own our device category strategy end-to-end, from assortment, merchandising, and supplier relationships to margin, fulfilment, and inventory health. You will ensure Grover offers the right products, at the right price, at the right time, balancing customer desirability with commercial profitability and sustainable circularity. You will lead a talented category management team, and collaborate closely with supply chain, procurement, marketing, pricing, product, finance, and tech teams to deliver a best-in-class catalogue from sourcing to sell-through.

What you will contribute:

Category Strategy: Define and own the multi-year category strategy and roadmap across device types (smartphones, laptops, wearables, and more), balancing growth, profitability, and circularity.
Supplier & Vendor Management: Build and lead commercial relationships with OEMs, distributors, and refurbishment partners; negotiate pricing, terms, and volume commitments to secure competitive advantage.
Assortment Planning: Own end-to-end assortment strategy, selecting, sequencing, and retiring products based on customer demand, market trends, and margin contribution.
Merchandising: A sharp eye for how assortment decisions play out as merchandising on the platform, from launch sequencing to cross-sell and bundling that lift conversion and basket size.
Pricing & Margin Management: Set pricing strategy and promotional mechanics across categories, owning category P&L and driving sustainable unit economics.
Inventory & Lifecycle Management: Partner with supply chain to optimise stock levels, minimise obsolescence, and maximise device lifecycle value and residual returns.
Commercial Execution: Drive relentless, week-on-week execution against sales and revenue targets, tracking performance daily, diagnosing gaps in real time, and course-correcting pricing, promotions, or channel mix to keep the category on plan.
Cross-functional Leadership: Partner with Procurement, Marketing, Product, and Pricing teams to align category plans with acquisition, retention, and platform priorities.
Performance & Insights: Monitor category KPIs (availability, sell-through, margin, NPS) to drive insight-led decision-making and continuous improvement.
People Leadership: Build and mentor a high-performing category management team, nurturing future leaders and a culture of accountability and commercial rigour.

What you bring:

Education: A degree in Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, or a related field (Master's preferred).
Background: Extensive experience in category management, merchandising, or commercial buying within high-growth B2C industries such as e-commerce, retail, subscriptions, marketplaces, or consumer electronics/tech, including at least 10 years leading cross-functional teams covering sourcing, pricing, and assortment.
Expertise: Deep expertise in vendor negotiation, pricing strategy, merchandising and inventory management, ideally with experience across a multi-category or multi-market portfolio.
Hands-on & Strategic Scope: Ability to zoom in and out between strategic category vision and operational execution, with a track record of owning €10M+ category P&Ls and delivering sustainable growth and margin improvement.
Commercial & Analytical Balance: A "strategic operator" who pairs sharp commercial negotiation with data-driven decision-making across pricing, demand, and inventory.
Technical Fluency: Deeply comfortable in technology-led and data-driven environments, proficient with modern analytics, forecasting, and inventory management tools, with a collaborative approach to working with supply chain, data, and engineering teams.
Leadership & Influence: A natural mentor with a passion for building and leading high-performing teams, skilled at collaborating across and influencing at the executive level.
Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in English are a must; German language skills are a significant advantage for winning in the DACH market.

The Grover Way - How We Drive Success:

Own It: We take ownership seriously and define what success looks like. We drive shared ownership and don't wait - we drive. We keep one another accountable and take responsibility when issues arise.
Challenge, Decide, and Commit: We engage in proactive support, active listening, and healthy conflict to reach the best outcomes. We value diverse perspectives and, once a decision is made, we commit to it fully.
Empower and Grow: We enable, trust, and coach one another toward high performance, always thinking and acting like owners. We seek growth, apply feedback, and support the development of our peers.
Respect, Transparency, and Clarity: We strive for clear, respectful, and open communication with no surprises. We simplify complex information so everyone knows the "what, why, and how".

What you will love about us: