Category Manager (Cosmetics)

Guardian Malaysia; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardian Malaysia is seeking an experienced Category Manager to lead Merchandising in health & beauty. You will generate sales, source global products and collaborate with marketing on promotions to drive growth.

In this role you will manage vendor relationships, optimize store layouts with space planning and merchandising teams, monitor margins, and ensure stock levels are aligned with targets while maximizing profits.

Qualifications

• University Degree or Diploma is required.
• 8+ years in Merchandising, health & beauty focus.
• Experience as Buyer handling multiple suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Generate sales by ensuring Guardian target customers are provided with the products that they want.
• Source innovative products globally to keep Guardian's offer fresh and interesting.
• Develop attractive promotions with marketing per pre‑agreed selling plan.
• Collaborate with space planning, visual merchandising and store operations to optimize layouts and promotions.
• Visit stores and competitors to maintain competitive advantage.
• Establish and maintain margin and price controls to maximize profits while delivering value.
• Negotiate with vendors to build long-term partnerships and higher margins.
• Manage stock levels and markdowns to protect availability and cash flow.
• Leverage merchandise management system to control sales, profit and costs.

Skills

Team leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

MS Office

Education

University Degree or Diploma

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Is this your next challenge in Category Management?

• Generate sales by ensuring that Guardian target customers are provided with the products that they want.
• Seek innovative product sources throughout the world to provide newness and interest in the Guardian offer.
• Develop in liaison with the marketing department attractive and interesting promotion events that follow a pre-agreed selling plan.
• Work closely with space planning, visual merchandising and store operations teams to ensure that store layouts, promotions and display techniques are effective in maximizing sales and profit from the specific merchandise categories.
• Keep abreast of the retail environment by paying regular visits to stores and competitors and take appropriate action to ensure competitive advantage is maintained.
• Establish and maintain effective margin and price controls that maximize business profits whilst delivering a good value offer to the customer.
• Negotiate and work with vendors to build mutually beneficial relationships to ensure long‑term strategic partnerships, leading to lower costs and higher margins.
• Manage stock levels and markdowns to ensure that product availability is high yet ensure that cash flow is maximised by controlling stock levels in both warehouse and stores within set targets.
• Actively exploit benefits of merchandise management system ensuring sales, profit and costs are effectively managed.

Do you have experience in Category Management?

Educational Qualifications

• University Degree or Diploma

Professional Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in Merchandising specialising in health & beauty category
• Solid experience as Buyer handling multiple suppliers

Soft Skills

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, communicate effectively, work under pressure, and prioritise tasks effectively to meet deadlines
• Good communication skills, negotiation and strong personality
• Demonstrated problem solving and decision making
• Excellent interpersonal skills and be a team player
• Independent, hardworking and self‑motivated.
• Proficient in MS Office including MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint