Category Manager - General Merchandise

SuperK; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,400,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

SuperK is seeking a Category Manager for General Merchandise (Home, Kitchen, Stationery) to curate and buy the right GM assortment for regional stores in India. You will handle unbranded goods, build supplier relationships, and optimize cost efficiency via zero-based costing.

The role emphasizes hands-on execution, strong vendor networks, and travel to supplier/market visits. Experience in FMCG/GM or modern retail with sharp commercial acumen is required.

Qualifications

• 4–5 years of buying, sourcing or category management experience in FMCG/GM or modern retail.
• Strong vendor relationships and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency with pricing, purchase planning and cost-efficiency levers.
• Analytical mindset with comfort using sales data for decisions.

Responsibilities

• A. Buying, Sourcing & Supplier Management: identify, evaluate and onboard suppliers.
• Negotiate margins, prices, TOTs and payment terms with vendors.
• Expand supplier base to improve cost competitiveness and assortment.
• Conduct regular vendor performance reviews.
• B. Assortment Building & Pricing: curate region-specific assortments and pricing ladders.
• Identify gaps and opportunities from store feedback and competition.
• C. Purchase Planning & Inventory Management: align with supply chain on replenishment and plan buys.
• Manage ageing inventory and SKU rationalization.
• D. Merchandising Support & Execution: coordinate planograms and product placement with stores.
• Support promotions and catalog accuracy.
• E. Market Understanding & Competitive Insights: market visits and trend tracking.

Skills

Buying

Sourcing

Category Management

Vendor network

Negotiation

Pricing

Purchase planning

Excel

Data-driven decisions

Tools

Excel

Job description

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As a Category Manager - General Merchandise you will play a critical role in curating and buying the right assortment for GM categories (Home, Kitchen and Stationery), and have experience in handling unbranded goods and working with manufacturers directly. This role is perfect for someone who is hands-on, commercially sharp, and passionate about building strong supplier relationships to deliver value-driven assortments for small-town consumers, and who has expertise in zero-based costing.

A. Buying, Sourcing & Supplier Management

Drive end-to-end buying for GM categories—identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers/manufacturers.
Build strong vendor partnerships and negotiate margins, prices, TOTs, and payment terms to unlock the best deals.
Expand and refine supplier base to improve cost competitiveness, quality, and assortment depth.
Conduct regular vendor reviews on performance, supply reliability, and commercial outcomes.

B. Assortment Building & Pricing

Curate region-specific assortments aligned to consumer needs, seasonality, and value perception.
Benchmark market prices (offline/online) and maintain competitive pricing ladders across sub-categories.
Identify assortment gaps, new trends, and product opportunities based on store feedback and competition analysis.

C. Purchase Planning & Inventory Management

Align with supply chain on replenishment plans to maintain stock health and minimize out-of-stock instances.
Plan buys based on demand forecasts, historical sales, and store patterns.
Manage ageing inventory, drive SKU rationalization, and create exit plans for slow movers.

D. Merchandising Support & Execution

Partner with store teams to ensure right planograms, visibility standards, and product placement.
Support promotional planning through vendor-funded schemes and category offers.
Coordinate with catalogue teams to ensure accuracy of product details, pricing, and image hygiene.

E. Market Understanding & Competitive Insights

Conduct regular market visits to identify new suppliers, understand local consumer preferences, and benchmark competition.
Track trends in home & kitchen, plastics, utilities, and household categories to drive innovation.
Share insights proactively to improve assortment relevance and commercial outcomes.

What we are looking for?

4–5 years of experience in Buying, Sourcing, or Category Management in FMCG/General Merchandise or modern retail.
Strong vendor network across key GM segments: plastics, home & kitchen, cleaning tools, utilities, stationery, etc.
Proven negotiation skills and experience handling commercial discussions.
Strong understanding of pricing, purchase planning, and cost-efficiency levers.
Analytical mindset with comfort using Excel and sales data for decision-making.
Hands‑on execution attitude with the ability to work closely with suppliers and store teams.
Strong ownership, agility, and willingness to travel for supplier and market visits.

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