Category Manager (Pharmaceutical Industry)

Talent Trader Group Pte Ltd; Ipoh; On-site; MYR 60,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Trader Group Pte Ltd is seeking a Category Manager (Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare) based in Ipoh, Perak. You will develop and execute end-to-end commercial strategies for pharmacy, OTC, and wellness lines, expand market share, and optimize product assortments while managing vendor terms and inventory turnover.

You will report to commercial leadership, lead negotiations, analyze sell-through data, design trade promotions, and work with Retail, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required.
• Minimum 5 years of commercial experience in Category Management, Purchasing, Merchandising, or Vendor Procurement.
• Solid commercial experience within pharmacy retail, pharmaceutical distribution, OTC, consumer healthcare, FMCG, or general retail is required.
• Hands-on experience managing category P&L metrics, vendor trading agreements, pricing strategies, and product lifecycle management.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel; practical experience with ERP, BI, or retail analytics platforms is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute end-to-end commercial strategies for assigned pharmacy, pharmaceutical, OTC, and wellness product lines.
• Lead vendor negotiations and analyze sell-through and stock data.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Retail, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to drive category growth.
• Design trade promotion mechanics and promotions with Marketing and Retail teams.
• Monitor stock, optimize assortments, and ensure inventory turnover.

Skills

Category Management

Vendor Negotiations

Data & Trend Analytics

Market Sourcing

Inventory Management

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Lifecycle Management

Promotions Planning

Negotiation

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, or a related discipline

Tools

Excel

ERP

BI platforms

Job description

Category Manager (Pharmaceutical Industry)

The Category Manager (Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare) develops and executes end-to-end commercial strategies for assigned pharmacy, pharmaceutical, Over-The-Counter (OTC), and wellness product lines. Based in Ipoh, Perak, this strategic role is responsible for expanding market share, improving gross margins, optimizing product assortments, managing vendor terms, and maintaining healthy inventory turnover.

Reporting to commercial leadership, you will lead vendor negotiations, analyze sell-through and stock data, design trade promotion mechanics, and collaborate cross-functionally with Retail, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to drive sustainable category growth.

Job Description:

1. Category Strategy & Commercial Growth

Job Summary

The Category Manager (Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare) develops and executes end-to-end commercial strategies for assigned pharmacy, pharmaceutical, Over-The-Counter (OTC), and wellness product lines. Based in Ipoh, Perak, this strategic role is responsible for expanding market share, improving gross margins, optimizing product assortments, managing vendor terms, and maintaining healthy inventory turnover.

Reporting to commercial leadership, you will lead vendor negotiations, analyze sell-through and stock data, design trade promotion mechanics, and collaborate cross-functionally with Retail, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to drive sustainable category growth.

Job Description:

1. Category Strategy & Commercial Growth

• Lifecycle Management: Formulate and execute multi-year category strategies, product launches, pricing architectures, and promotional campaigns to drive sales and margin targets.




• Data & Trend Analytics: Analyze category sales trends, gross margin performance, and stock movement metrics to capture growth opportunities and resolve non-performing product SKUs.




• Market Sourcing: Monitor healthcare industry trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activities to introduce high-performing pharmaceutical, OTC, and wellness items.

2. Merchandising & Promotional Planning

• Assortment Planning: Build customer-centric product assortments tailored to regional retail and distribution channels.




• Promotions Execution: Partner with Marketing and Retail teams to design and execute promotional mechanics, seasonal campaigns, and tactical marketing activities to maximize sell-through.




• Campaign ROI: Track and review promotional effectiveness, establishing key learnings for future marketing cycles.

3. Supplier & Vendor Management

• Commercial Negotiations: Lead supplier contract negotiations covering base pricing, trading terms, payment schedules, rebates, co-op marketing funds, and promotional allowances.




• Relationship & Sourcing: Identify, evaluate, and onboard new healthcare and FMCG manufacturers to enhance product portfolio competitiveness.




• Vendor Reviews: Conduct periodic vendor performance evaluations to improve cost efficiencies and secure optimal supply terms.

4. Inventory Governance & Cross-Functional Alignment

• Stock Optimization: Monitor stock cover, replenishment cycles, and out-of-stock (OOS) risks to lower working capital requirements while maintaining high shelf availability.




• Inventory Clearance: Formulate markdown and return strategies for slow-moving, short-expiry, and obsolete products.




• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Retail, Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, and Operations teams to execute category goals and report performance metrics to management.

Requirements:

• Academic Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, or a related discipline.




• Professional Experience: Minimum 5 years of commercial experience in Category Management, Purchasing, Merchandising, or Vendor Procurement.




• Industry Background: Solid commercial experience within pharmacy retail, pharmaceutical distribution, OTC, consumer healthcare, FMCG, or general retail is required.

• Commercial Expertise: Hands-on experience managing category P&L metrics, vendor trading agreements, pricing strategies, and product lifecycle management.




• Analytical Tools: High proficiency in Microsoft Excel; practical experience with ERP, Business Intelligence (BI), or retail analytics platforms is advantageous.




• Negotiation & Leadership: Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities with a business-driven mindset.

EA License No.: 13C6305

Registration No.: R1874608 (LEE JIA HOU)

For candidate who applied for the advertised position is deemed to have consented to us that we may collect, use or disclose your personal information for purpose in connection with the services provided by us.

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Your application will include the following questions:

Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in Malaysia? What's your expected monthly basic salary? How many years' experience do you have as a category manager? Which of the following types of qualifications do you have? How many years of experience do you have in the Pharmacy Industry? How many years of FMCG Sales experience do you have? Do you have Category Management experience? Do you have Supplier Negotiation experience? Do you have experience with inventory management? How would you rate your Mandarin language skills?