Sr Manager- Category Marketing

Whirlpool India Limited; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Whirlpool India is seeking a Senior Category Manager - Marketing to own the strategic direction and performance of a product category. You will blend consumer insights, product strategy, and data-driven marketing to launch new products and optimize the portfolio.

You will lead long-term roadmaps, rigorous P&L management, consumer research, and ground-level trade enablement to drive market share and achieve flawless go-to-market execution.

Qualifications

• MBA/PGDM in Marketing or Strategy from a premier b-school.
• 8–10 years post-MBA in Category/Brand Marketing or PM.
• Experience in Consumer Durables, FMCD, or FMCG is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual and long-term strategic planning with clear metrics.
• Draft the annual category plan and own core metrics like market share.
• Define and maintain a 3-year product roadmap and portfolio.
• Analyze market data to identify growth opportunities and ROI.
• Own project finances and ROI-based go/no-go decisions.
• Drive end-to-end GTM plans for new product launches.
• Design and evaluate promotional schemes and trade marketing.
• Develop frontline capability and ensure consistent brand messaging.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Product innovation

Commercial acumen

Marketing communications

Critical thinking

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Education

MBA/PGDM in Marketing or Strategy

Job description

Job Description:

Requisition ID: 73638

About Whirlpool India

Whirlpool of India Limited, headquartered in Gurugram, is a leading home appliances company dedicated to enhancing life at home and inspiring generations through its trusted brands. The company operates three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Faridabad, Pune & Puducherry, each reflecting Whirlpool’s commitment to providing best-in-class consumer solutions. Further driving innovation, the company has a Technology & Engineering Center, where India's world-class talent architects the next generation of home innovation. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, Whirlpool of India reported approximately INR 8110 Cr in annual revenue and employed 2193 people. More information is available at www.india.whirlpool.in

The team you will be a part of

The Category Management team develops and implements marketing strategies to identify effective distribution channels. Researches and analyzes the marketplace to identify new channel, partnership and co-branding opportunities. Develops and monitors channel opportunities, licensing agreements, joint ventures and partnerships to maximize revenues. Designs, develops and implements marketing programs with third-party partners.

This Role In Summary

As the Senior Category Manager - Marketing, you will have end-to-end strategic, financial, and operational ownership of your assigned product category. You will blend consumer insights,
product strategy, and data-driven marketing to launch new products, optimize the existing portfolio, and drive market share. This role requires an agile leader who can seamlessly navigate between long-term product roadmapping, rigorous P&L management, consumer research, and ground-level trade enablement. You will be fully accountable for driving market share, optimizing product mix, and ensuring flawless go-to-market execution.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

• Annual & Long-Term Strategic Planning
• Annual Business Planning: Draft and execute the annual category plan, taking absolute ownership of core metrics including market share expansion, volume growth, and margin delivery.
• 3-Year Product Roadmap: Define and maintain a robust 3-year product pipeline and portfolio roadmap, backed comprehensively by consumer learnings and competitive insights.
• Data-Driven Growth: Continuously analyze primary and secondary market research data alongside market share trends to identify untapped growth opportunities.
• Financial Management & Project Accountability
• Project Financials: Own the financial decision-making process for category projects, evaluating and passing them based on stringent ROI and payback period benchmarks.
• The Project Triangle: Direct and manage product development and marketing initiatives to ensure all projects strictly satisfy the Cost-Quality-Time triangle.
• Consumer Insights, Positioning & Communication
• Direct Consumer Engagement: Regularly meet and interface with consumer on-ground to extract deep insights on how to improve existing product offerings and identify pipeline innovations.
• Value Proposition & Brand Control: Define and validate the right consumer proposition for the category. Retain end-to-end control over all marketing, brand, and product communication to ensure messaging consistency and brand compliance.
• Competitive Pricing & Fit: Monitor and analyze competitive landscapes continuously to ensure Whirlpool’s offerings are perfectly positioned regarding product-price fit across all segments.
• Demand Optimization & GTM Execution
• Demand Forecasting: Partner closely with supply chain and commercial planning teams to ensure highly accurate demand forecasting, balancing optimum market availability against inventory costs.
• Robust GTM Strategy: Architect and lead end-to-end, high-impact Go-To-Market (GTM) plans for all new product launches to maximize day-one velocity.
• Trade Marketing, Promos & Frontline Enablement
• Commercial Schemes: Design, deploy, and evaluate highly targeted conversion drivers, including consumer finance options, RE schemes, and consumer promotional schemes.
• Frontline Capability Building: Drive store promoter training programs to ensure the ground-level sales force is thoroughly educated on product USPs, consumer objections, and premium pitch techniques.

Minimum Requirements

Education: MBA/PGDM in Marketing or Strategy from a premier (Tier-1 / Tier-2) business school.

Experience: 8–10 years of post-MBA experience across Category Management, Product Management, or Brand Marketing.

Industry Preference: Proven track record within Consumer Durables (FMCD), Consumer Electronics, or FMCG sectors.

Preferred Skills And Experiences

Strategic Thinking: Proven capability to formulate long-term business visions, anticipating industry shifts and mapping structural growth plans.

Product Innovation & Development: Demonstrated skill in translating raw consumer insights into tangible, commercially viable product configurations.

Commercial Acumen: Robust understanding of business financials, P&L mechanics, margin structures, and price-benefit positioning.

Marketing Communications Development & Media Planning: Expertise in building integrated marketing campaigns and optimizing media allocations across digital,
traditional, and point-of-sale channels.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: Superior analytical skills to dissect complex data matrices, diagnose business bottlenecks, and deploy corrective strategies.

Effective Stakeholder Management: Masterful interpersonal skills with a proven track record of cross-functional navigation, conflict resolution, and strategic influencing across matrixed organizations.

Team Management & Coaching: Leadership capability dedicated to fostering high-performance cultures, mentoring direct reports, and accelerating professional development.

What We Offer

N/A

Connect with us and learn more about Whirlpool India. See what it's like to work at Whirlpool by visiting Whirlpool Careers. Additional information about the company can be found on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

At Whirlpool India, we value and celebrate diversity. Whirlpool India is committed to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, sex, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable law.

Requirements: