Category Analyst II

Kohler Co.; Kohler (WI); On-site; USD 73,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Day 1 benefits

Performance bonus

Job summary

Kohler Co. is seeking an analytical professional to join our Kitchen & Bath category team onsite in Kohler, WI. You will own analytical processes, translate signals into actionable recommendations, and support product and leadership with scenario analysis and strategic actions.

The role emphasizes demand forecasting, pricing, supply, and cross-functional collaboration, with travel up to 20% and a salary range reflecting Wisconsin market norms. Eligible for a performance bonus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in category management, product management, demand planning, finance, or analytics.
• At least two years of analytical or business-facing experience with a track record of high performance.
• Proficiency in Excel and comfort with large data sets and reporting tools; familiarity with AI tools.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills; ability to collaborate cross-functionally.
• Curiosity, accountability, and initiative to find solutions across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Own recurring business processes and analytical responsibilities for assigned portions of the category.
• Translate customer, channel, financial, and operational signals into actionable business recommendations.
• Support Product Managers and Directors with scenario analysis, options, and recommended actions.
• Lead demand planning, pricing, supply, inventory, and category performance reviews.
• Make recommendations on forecast assumptions, inventory actions, pricing opportunities, and priorities within guidelines.
• Track key business actions and drive resolution of cross-functional issues.
• Build unit forecasts and analyze POS, shipments, orders, and weeks-of-stock to forecast actions.
• Apply inventory levers to support new product introductions, discontinuations, and service performance.
• Perform pricing analysis, break-even analysis, and monitor performance vs plan.
• Gather customer and competitive intelligence; report findings to leadership.
• Partner with Product Management and Channel Marketing on launches and portfolio programs.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Data analysis

AI tools familiarity

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Curiosity & problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Reporting tools

Job description

Opportunity

Kohler Co. is looking for an analytical candidate with strong business acumen and a passion for driving results to join one of our Kitchen & Bath category teams.

Work Mode: Onsite

Location

Onsite - Kohler, WI

What You'll Do

Business Ownership and Decision Support

• Own recurring business processes and analytical responsibilities for assigned portions of the category.
• Translate customer, channel, financial, and operational signals into actionable business recommendations.
• Support Product Managers and Directors by developing scenario analysis, options, and recommended actions.
• Lead assigned topics during demand planning, pricing, supply, inventory, and category performance reviews.
• Make recommendations regarding forecast assumptions, inventory actions, promotional activity, pricing opportunities, and portfolio priorities within established business guidelines.
• Track key business actions and help drive resolution of cross-functional issues.

Demand Forecasting, Supply and Inventory

• Build comprehensive unit forecasts for assigned product lines and recommend business actions, projecting the first-order impact of promotions, load-ins, load-outs, and customer inventory changes.
• Turn point-of-sale, shipment, orders, and weeks-of-stock analysis into forecast recommendations and clear summaries for the team.
• Project inventory levels, anticipate supply shortages and excess, and raise flags early so the cross-functional team can address root causes.
• Apply the levers available to adjust future inventory position, supporting new product introductions, discontinuations, and service performance.

Pricing and Category Performance

• Conduct pricing analysis for the category, applying price elasticity principles and projecting future elasticity impacts from historical data.
• Perform break-even analysis on the sales and margin impact of price discounts and promotional plans, and track results against plan.
• Complete dollar forecasting and sales performance analysis for the category, recommending business actions and quantifying expected impacts on sales, margin, inventory, and service performance.
• Monitor performance against key indicators and benchmarks, and assess portfolio effectiveness to identify opportunities to improve results.

Insights, Customer and Competitive Intelligence

• Gather customer and consumer feedback using quantitative and qualitative methods, directly and alongside supporting teams, and distill it into actionable understanding for the category.
• Gather and analyze competitive data and trends, translating findings into recommendations for the business.
• Maintain a current database of competitive and market information, including product catalogs, price lists, promotions, and new product introductions.
• Compile reports and communicate findings and insights clearly to cross-functional partners and leadership.

Product and Commercial Partnership

• Partner with Product Management to align demand, supply, customer, and financial signals with the product plan.
• Pressure-test assumptions in launch plans, discontinuations, promotions, and category initiatives.
• Collaborate with Channel Marketing to execute new product launch plans and current portfolio programming.

Skills/Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree required, with a preference for areas of study related to category management, product management, demand planning, supply chain analytics, finance, or commercial analytics.
• At least two years of experience with a track record of high performance in an analytical or business-facing role.
• Proficiency in Excel and comfort working with large data sets and reporting tools as well as with AI tools.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Curiosity, creative thinking, accountability for outcomes, and the initiative to find solutions and work effectively with all levels of the organization.

Preferred

• Working knowledge of new product development, channel marketing, manufacturing, forecasting, production planning, and category business management.

Travel

• Approximately 10 to 20 percent annually, including travel to Kohler manufacturing locations, customers, and the market.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you’ll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period. The salary range for this position is $73,250 - $111,350. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate’s experience, their education, and the work location. In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.

Why Choose Kohler?

We empower each associate to #BecomeMoreAtKohler with a competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing, access to career growth and development opportunities, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and a strong culture of innovation. With more than 30,000 bold leaders across the globe, we’re driving meaningful change in our mission to help people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives.

About Us

It is Kohler’s policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. If, as an individual with a disability, you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail] . Kohler Co. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.