Category Manager

Zola; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Zola, a fast-growing wedding commerce platform, is seeking a smart Category Manager to own assortment strategy and drive growth. This role sits in the Merchandising Team and collaborates with Planning, Operations, Finance, Customer Service, Marketing, Product & Engineering.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in e-commerce category management, strong analytics, and proven leadership of a direct report. The position is hybrid, based in NYC, and offers a dynamic, data-driven work environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of e-commerce buying or category management experience.
• 2+ years of leading a direct report.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Report to the Director of Merchandising and manage 1 team member.
• Develop a clear strategic vision for your business that supports Zola's objectives.
• Use data to inform assortment strategy, site merchandising, margin optimization, and vendor negotiations.
• Utilize AI solutions and emerging technologies to refine workflows and insights.
• Forge strong relationships with new and existing vendors and cross-functional leaders.
• Conduct research and business analysis for merchandise assortments.
• Partner with Operations and Planning to manage vendor drop ship excellence and collaborate on marketing/product initiatives.
• Contribute ideas for growth and attend market meetings to monitor competition.

Skills

e-commerce analytics

team leadership

retail math

negotiation

communication

AI productivity tools

strategic thinking

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

We are looking for a smart, driven, and detail-oriented Category Manager who is passionate about assortment building and driving a best-in-class e-commerce shopping experience.

This person will be responsible for developing and implementing an assortment strategy to drive their categories of business, oversee and develop a direct report, and execute related tasks such as data analytics and financial modeling to drive thoughtful decisions around assortment curation, partnership negotiations, pricing and margin optimization, and site merchandising changes to achieve financial objectives.

The ideal candidate will have experience as a Category Manager in e-commerce, with a proven track record of growth and success in a fast-paced environment. This role sits within the Merchandising Team, and will collaborate regularly with cross-functional partners in Planning, Operations, Finance, Customer Service, Marketing, Product & Engineering.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Report into the Director of Merchandising and manage 1 team member
• Develop a clear strategic vision for your business that supports the overall objectives of Zola
• Use data to inform decision making around assortment strategy, site merchandising, margin optimization, and vendor negotiations
• Utilize AI solutions and emerging technologies to refine operational workflows, bolster analytical insights, and improve category management efficiency
• Forge strong relationships with new and existing vendors as well as with internal cross functional leaders
• Conduct research and business analysis for merchandise assortments
• Partner closely with Operations and Planning to manage vendor drop ship excellence in order fulfillment, and collaborate with Marketing, (digital) Product & Engineering, and other cross-functional leaders to drive e-commerce initiatives
• Contribute new business ideas for the growth of the business
• Attend trade shows, lead market meetings, stay up to date on competitive landscape and market research

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience:
  • 5+ years of e-commerce specific experience in buying or category management, with a proven track record of entrepreneurial leadership and financial growth in a fast-paced environment.
  • 2+ years of experience in managing, mentoring, and developing a direct report.
• Skills:
  • Proven analytical and diagnostic skills, with strong retail math skills
  • Passion for team training and development, professional growth, and mentorship
  • Systems-oriented & proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and everyday AI productivity tools
  • Strong negotiation and communication skills (verbal and written), with ability to influence through both official and unofficial channels
• Traits:
  • A strategic thinker with the ability to balance short and long term goals
  • Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple demands while maintaining a high level of organization and attention to detail
  • Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of autonomy; able to get in the weeds and execute hands-on tasks when needed
  • Results-oriented and self-motivated with a strong sense of ownership and follow-through
  • Ability to be proactive in nature; resolves or appropriately escalates issues
  • Strong team orientation, collaborative, cooperative work style
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
  • Strong assortment and style sensibility and a keen eye for emerging market trends to serve the customer need

Salary Range

The salary range for this role is $90,000 - $110,000. This full-time role will be hybrid at our office in NYC (Tuesdays & Thursdays).

We are passionate about supporting all forms of love, and we're proud of our thriving community of over 2 million couples. We strive to hire a team that is as beautifully diverse as the couples getting married today, and we encourage individuals from every race, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, marital status, religion and perspective to apply. Zola will always be a place where every employee, couple, wedding guest, wedding vendor, and partner will be respected and accepted and valued.