Assistant Category Manager - GNF

Panda Retail Company – Savola Group; Jeddah; On-site; SAR 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Jeddah is seeking a skilled Category Assistant to support the Category Manager in achieving sales and margin targets. The role involves negotiating with vendors, managing product categories, and optimizing pricing strategies. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree and at least three years of experience in a related field, along with strong analytical and negotiation skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and knowledge of BI tools are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years' experience in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Assist in achieving sales and margin targets.
• Negotiate annual supply agreements with vendors.
• Support pricing and assortment optimization.

Skills

Negotiation

Analytical

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

BI tools

JDA software

Job description

Job Purpose:

To assist in achieving the department's sales, margin, other income, and total commercial margin targets to support the company's overall sales and bottom-line objectives.

Functional Accountabilities:

1. Assist the Category Manager in negotiating annual supply agreements with vendors, adhering to company guidelines.
2. Help manage product categories in line with sales budgets and forecasts by recommending product selections and strategies to drive profitability.
3. Support the Category Manager in negotiating and setting product costs and retail prices to optimize margins.
4. Assist in managing the total commercial margin by negotiating deals with vendors and ensuring proper implementation.
5. Maintain vendor relations by providing performance feedback and identifying future opportunities.
6. Suggest and negotiate promotional offers, completing all necessary formalities for promo plans.
7. Source new products to expand the product portfolio.
8. Conduct Market Share Analysis to inform strategic decisions.

Assists in Promo Optimization Process:

1. Communicate effectively with suppliers.
2. Select items for promotion.
3. Coordinate internal promo communication.
4. Assist in forecasting promotional outcomes.
5. Obtain necessary sign-offs.
6. Conduct post-promo reviews and implement actions for improvement.

Assists in Assortment Optimization Process:

1. Participate in category resets.
2. Identify and fill market gaps based on format, tiers, and regions.
3. Support new business development initiatives.
4. Engage in rationalization and optimization of product assortments.

Assists in Pricing Optimization Process:

1. Define effective pricing strategies.
2. Support efforts to improve category profitability.

Enhances Category Availability through:

• Setting Minimum and Maximum Quantity (MFQ & MDQ).

Boosts Category Footfall through:

• Implementation of planograms.
• Development of CATMAN principles.
• Monthly and quarterly performance reviews with actionable insights.

Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Business or Engineering.

Experience, Skills & Competencies:

• Minimum three years' experience in a related field.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Knowledge of BI tools and JDA software.