Category Manager

NAPA Auto Parts; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 98,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

NAPA Auto Parts is seeking a Category Manager for Vehicle Control in Atlanta. The role leads strategic direction for a high-SKU portfolio and drives category strategy, pricing, and supplier partnerships to grow sales and profitability.

You will collaborate with field leadership and cross-functional teams, mentoring an Associate Category Manager while shaping key initiatives in a fast-paced retail environment. A Bachelor’s degree is required and relocation is not offered.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of Category Management experience and the ability to present the details of a category plan they have implemented from start to finish.
• Customer-centric approach to category management and a commercially minded leader who thrives in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to solve complex assortment challenges and independently lead strategic category initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute overall market strategies for specific product category.
• Own one of NAPA's most SKU-intensive product portfolios, balancing assortment complexity, inventory optimization, pricing strategy, and profitability.
• Translate customer, field sales, and market insights into actionable category strategies that drive commercial growth.
• Prioritize multiple competing initiatives while operating effectively in a fast-paced, evolving retail environment.
• Partner closely with field leadership to ensure category decisions support customer needs and sales execution.
• Direct leadership responsibility for one Associate Category Manager, providing coaching and day-to-day category leadership.
• Coordinate with various departments and oversee strategic initiatives for assigned product groups in relation to category management, product assortment, promotions and marketing, pricing, supply chain, sales, customer service, and IT.

Skills

Category management

Financial acumen

Retail analytics

Leadership

Negotiation

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

Job description

Excellent career opportunity to join one of the finest Fortune 200 companies in the United States! You will also enjoy a wide array of career development programs including the company supported Six Sigma Black Belt training in category management.

NOTE: this person must live in Atlanta or be open to relocating on their own - No relocation assistance currently provided.

POSITION TITLE

Category Manager- Vehicle Control

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

This role reports to the Director, Category Management, Electrical, Vehicle Control, Heating & Cooling, and Hydraulics

LOCATION

Atlanta, GA (Cumberland/Vinings area) Hybrid - 4 days in office/1 day remote

CLIENT OVERVIEW

NAPA Auto Parts distributes automotive replacement parts, accessories, and service items throughout the U.S. More than 800,000 parts are sold under the NAPA brand, as well as Key National Brands. NAPA is widely recognized for quality parts, service, and knowledgeable people, with 20,000+ employees throughout the United States. Its stores and distribution centers sell to both the retail and commercial automotive aftermarket customers covering all domestic and foreign motor vehicle models.

NAPA is a leading automotive aftermarket distributor and a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a $23.5B global distribution leader known for its financial strength, operational excellence, and long-term growth.

GPC recently announced plans to separate its Automotive and Industrial businesses into two independent public companies by 2027, with NAPA becoming the standalone Automotive platform. This strategic separation will enable sharper focus, increased agility, and targeted investment within each business, positioning NAPA to accelerate growth and innovation across the automotive aftermarket.

NAPA’s culture is strengthened by a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The goal is to create a culture where they value, respect, and provide fair treatment and equal opportunities for all employees.

POSITION IMPACT

This is an impactful role that leverages a 100-year, global, Fortune 200 enterprise with extraordinary transformational category management strategies. You will work in an environment of supportive / visionary leadership driving operational excellence. You will also enjoy a wide array of career development programs including the company supported Six Sigma Black Belt training in category management.

This highly visible role offers the opportunity to lead one of NAPA's most complex merchandising portfolios, owning approximately $400M in annual sales within the Vehicle Control category. This leader will drive category strategy, pricing, assortment optimization, supplier partnerships, and customer-focused growth initiatives while also developing an Associate Category Manager.

FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Category Manager owns the strategic category direction focused on enhancing NAPA’s sales, profit, inventory turns, and market position within the industry while upholding NAPA’s high standards of ethics and integrity as a representative of the company.

This role will manage relationships with suppliers to both procure and present competitive programs to the market. It will create efficiencies with key internal and external stakeholders while working across various departments to develop procurement, sales, and marketing programs.

Specific functions and responsibilities of the position include

• Develop and execute overall market strategies for specific product category
• Own one of NAPA's most SKU-intensive product portfolios, balancing assortment complexity, inventory optimization, pricing strategy, and profitability
• Translate customer, field sales, and market insights into actionable category strategies that drive commercial growth
• Prioritize multiple competing initiatives while operating effectively in a fast-paced, evolving retail environment
• Partner closely with field leadership to ensure category decisions support customer needs and sales execution
• Direct leadership responsibility for one Associate Category Manager, providing coaching, mentoring, and day-to-day category leadership
• Coordinate with various departments and oversee all strategic initiatives for assigned product groups in relation to category management, product assortment, promotions and marketing, pricing, supply chain, sales, customer service, and information technology

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have 3+ years of Category Management experience and the ability to present the details of a category plan they have implemented from start to finish. We seek candidates with a customer-centric approach to category management. Success in this role requires a commercially minded leader who thrives in fast-paced environments, enjoys solving complex assortment challenges, and can independently lead strategic category initiatives.

Key Qualifications include

• Demonstrated ability to independently own a category with minimal direction or oversight
• Strong financial acumen with deep understanding of retail math, pricing, gross margin, sales performance, and profitability drivers
• Proven ability managing highly complex, multi-SKU assortments and congruent and diverging projects
• Experience prioritizing numerous simultaneous initiatives while maintaining exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to analyze and derive insights from imperfect data and make sound commercial decisions (advanced Excel)
• Strong customer-centric mindset with demonstrated success translating customer needs into category strategy
• Comfortable operating in an evolving organization where processes continue to mature
• Experience mentoring or developing junior merchandising or category professionals preferred
• Automotive aftermarket or automotive category management experience preferred, but not required

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

We seek a category professional who is driven to succeed. This candidate should be a good fit into NAPA’s corporate culture by possessing good judgment, humility, honesty, and a strong “roll up your sleeves” work ethic.

The candidate's personal characteristics should also include

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to organize and present ideas and the ability to foster collaborative relationships
• Naturally curious and eager to learn complex technical product categories
• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to make decisions with incomplete information and to adapt quickly to changing priorities
• Highly organized with exceptional prioritization skills
• High-energy, self-motivated multi-tasker capable of operating independently without extensive direction
• Demonstrates resilience and thrives in fast-paced, constantly evolving environments
• Approaches challenges with ownership, humility, and a solutions-oriented mindset
• Demonstrates confidence, motivates others to achieve high performance and is open to receiving constructive feedback

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's degree required

TRAVEL

Minimal travel to various suppliers and trade shows not mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory

COMPENSATION

NAPA offers an attractive compensation package that includes a competitive salary commensurate with experience and bonus based upon individual performance and corporate results