Category Manager – Kitchen & Bath | Grow in Retail

Installation Made Easy; United States; Remote; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% remote work

Employer provided equipment

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401K with employer match

Paid time off

Job summary

Installation Made Easy is seeking a Category Manager for Kitchen and Bath in a fully remote setup. This mid-to-senior IC role emphasizes strategic leadership without direct reports, relying on relationship-building and cross-functional collaboration to influence outcomes across vendor networks and partner ecosystems.

The role requires 4+ years in home improvement categories, retail experience, and data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of proven experience in Kitchen and Bath, Flooring, Exteriors, MEP or other home improvement categories with deep product knowledge
• Retail experience with strong communication and coordination skills
• Ability to lead strategic initiatives and collaborate across departments without direct reports

Responsibilities

• Own and manage strategic direction for assigned product categories to drive sales growth and customer satisfaction
• Develop category plans with measurable leads, sales, and revenue goals; review results and take corrective action
• Own category-specific projects and improvements (Wizards, Spec Sheets) and maintain project plans and milestones
• Be a subject matter expert for assigned categories with emphasis on performance
• Engage manufacturers, distributors, and dealer networks to collect feedback and drive progress
• Maintain and execute category promotional calendars and evaluate promotion effectiveness

Skills

Category management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Retail experience

Vendor/contractor coordination

Strategic thinking

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Job description

Category Manager – Kitchen & Bath | Grow in Retail — Remote

This is a mid-to-senior individual contributor role within a specialized B2B SaaS/services company focused on home improvement retail. Without direct reports, you'll need to influence outcomes through relationship-building and cross-functional collaboration — a valuable skill set for senior leadership tracks.

Compensation:

No salary is listed. Market benchmarks for Category Manager roles in home improvement/retail range from $75,000–$105,000 annually depending on experience and geography. The absence of a salary range is a mild yellow flag in a competitive hiring market.

• Category management and retail merchandising strategy at a national scale
• Data-driven decision-making using operational and sales analytics
• Vendor and partner relationship management (manufacturers, distributors, contractors)
• Cross-functional project ownership without formal authority
• Promotional strategy and campaign influence alongside marketing teams

Green flags:

High visibility with senior leadership, 100% immediate 401(k) vesting, employer-provided equipment, and a company with deep industry tenure (100+ years combined experience) signal stability and investment in employees.

Potential red flags:

No salary transparency, no mention of career progression pathways or performance review cycles, and a broad "other duties as required" clause. The role spans strategy, analytics, project management, and vendor relations — ensure scope is well-defined before accepting.

Ideal for someone transitioning from retail buying or vendor management into a more strategic, tech-enabled category role with growth potential toward Director-level positions.

Position Title:

Category Manager - Kitchen and Bath

Department:

Business Development

Location:

Remote

Reports To:

Senior Director – Business Development

Installation Made Easy ("IME") provides software and process management that enable retailers and contractors to offer installed home improvements to homeowners in a convenient, consistent, and affordable manner. IME senior management has over 100 years of retail management and home improvement industry experience.

The Category Manager's primary responsibility is to develop and execute strategies for assigned home improvement categories that generate new leads, increase sales and revenue, enhance competitiveness, and improve customer satisfaction across partner networks. The Category Manager serves as the subject matter expert for each assigned category and is accountable for measurable category performance and continuous improvement.

To achieve these goals, the Category Manager analyzes category metrics, market trends, customer behavior, and competitor performance; develops coordinated promotional strategies with IME, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and service providers; and conducts regular business reviews. The role also owns category-specific initiatives, including Wizards, Spec Sheets, and program improvements, ensuring projects advance on schedule and deliver meaningful business results. This position is highly visible within the company and will have frequent interaction with senior leadership and other departments.

An ideal candidate will be results-driven, proactive, and highly organized, with the ability to use IME technology and operational data to improve category performance. This individual will build productive internal and external relationships, clear obstacles, communicate next steps, and drive multiple initiatives forward in a collaborative environment without direct internal reports.

Essential Functions:

• Own and manage strategic direction for assigned product categories to drive sales growth, competitiveness, and customer satisfaction across partner networks.
• Develop and execute category plans with measurable leads, sales, and revenue goals; routinely review results, identify gaps, and take corrective action.
• Own category-specific projects and improvements, including Wizards, Spec Sheets, and related technology or process initiatives; maintain project plans, milestones, deadlines, and action items.
• Be a subject matter expert for assigned categories with a large emphasis on performance.
• Use knowledge of IME systems and workflows to identify opportunities to improve category programs, partner experience, and operational efficiency.
• Proactively engage manufacturers, distributors, and dealer networks; document partner feedback, communicate next steps, and resolve or escalate barriers to progress.
• Maintain and execute category promotional calendars, evaluate promotion effectiveness, and adjust quarterly promotional strategies based on performance.
• Analyze key category reports, including leads, sales, revenue, recruitment or assignment needs, ZIP-code coverage, work order cycle time, customer surveys, and promotions, to guide decisions.
• Conduct monthly internal and external business reviews, including documented feedback and follow-up actions; regularly research industry trends and outside factors affecting assigned categories.
• Complete periodic competitor reviews and category content audits to keep Spec Sheets, Wizards, and Knowledge Vault materials accurate, current, and aligned with program requirements.
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives, proactively share category knowledge, track outstanding actions, and ensure commitments and project deadlines are met.
• Ensure accurate and consistent category information across all partner-facing and consumer-facing platforms.
• Work with marketing teams to influence promotional strategy, visual merchandising, and creative campaigns.
• Stay active in the industry through trade shows, factory visits, and customer-facing events to maintain category expertise and identify new business opportunities.
• Perform other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent
• 4+ years of proven experience in Kitchen and Bath, Flooring, Exteriors, MEP or other home improvement categories, with a strong understanding of product lines, installation processes, and vendor/contractor coordination in these areas.
• 4+ years of retail experience
• Sound judgment and strong problem-solving ability.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of an organization, including executive and C-level.
• Exceptional organization skills.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects at a time, while maintaining efficiency and sharp attention to detail.
• Ability to adapt to changing or multiple priorities.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.

The Category Manager position may require some travel but will be very limited and less than 10%. The Category Manager may be asked to perform additional tasks that are not listed above. In addition, the list of primary responsibilities may change over time.

Benefits to working with IME:

• 100% remote work environment
• Employer provided equipment
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Health savings plan includes employer contribution to health savings account.
• Medical and dental flexible spending accounts
• Company paid basic life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
• 401K plan with employer match
  • Company matches 100% of the first 4% of salary deferrals.
  • All contributions, including employer contributions, are 100% vested immediately.
• Employee discount program for Electronics, Groceries, Travel, Entertainment, and more
• Employee assistance program
• Pay on demand
• Critical illness, hospital indemnity, group accident, and legal insurance
• Paid time off

We are an Equal Opportunity and Drug-Free Workplace.

The Job Description is not an exhaustive statement of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications of the job, nor is it intended to limit opportunities for necessary modifications. The Job Description does not constitute an employment contract of any kind.

Is this Category Manager role truly 100% remote? Yes, IME explicitly lists this as a 100% remote work environment. Travel is required for trade shows, factory visits, and partner events, but is capped at less than 10% of the time. What experience is required to apply for this role? Candidates need at least 4+ years of experience in home improvement categories such as Kitchen and Bath, Flooring, Exteriors, or MEP, plus 4+ years of retail experience and a high school diploma or equivalent. Does IME offer a 401(k) match and when does it vest? Yes, IME matches 100% of the first 4% of salary deferrals, and all contributions — including employer contributions — are 100% vested immediately upon contribution. Will I have direct reports in this Category Manager position? No, this role is an individual contributor position. You will drive initiatives collaboratively across departments and partner networks without having direct internal reports. What does the day-to-day work involve for this role? You'll analyze category performance data, manage promotional calendars, conduct monthly business reviews, coordinate cross-functional projects (like Wizards and Spec Sheets), and engage with manufacturers, distributors, and dealer networks to improve category outcomes.

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