Category Manager - Kitchen Textiles

WithIt; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Dream Home, a growing wholesale company specializing in trend-driven home and lifestyle products for major retailers across North America, seeks an experienced Category Manager – Kitchen Textiles to lead the category from concept through customer delivery.

This is a highly visible, customer-facing role that requires a strong merchant mindset, design awareness, and the ability to manage product development, sourcing, inventory planning, and cross-functional teams to drive growth and margin for

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Category Management or related fields within kitchen textiles or soft home.
• Experience selling into off-price channels.
• Strong network of industry contacts with retail buyers and factory partners.
• Excellent analytical, forecasting, and inventory planning skills.
• Proficiency in Excel and inventory/planning systems.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the Kitchen Textiles category business from concept to customer delivery, developing growth strategies that drive sales, profitability, and market share.
• Build assortments that align with customer needs, market trends, and business objectives; work with design to curate the line reflecting current trends and color stories.
• Present assortments and line concepts directly to customers and buyers, acting as the main contact for key accounts and identifying opportunities for tailored programs.
• Lead product development from initial concept through sampling, costing, and final production, ensuring quality and design intent.
• Work with overseas factories and sourcing teams to meet timelines and maintain margins without compromising quality.
• Analyze sales, inventory levels, and trends to guide data-driven decisions; oversee forecasting and replenishment planning.
• Collaborate with sourcing, production, and sales to launch products and manage seasonal calendars.
• Monitor competitive activity and identify opportunities for innovation and expansion.

Skills

Category management

Merchandising

Product development

Buying

Forecasting

Inventory planning

Negotiation

Presentation

Excel

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Inventory planning systems

Job description

Dream Home is a growing wholesale company specializing in trend-driven home and lifestyle products for major retailers across North America. We are seeking an experienced Category Manager – Kitchen Textiles to lead and grow our kitchen textiles business, driving the category from concept through customer delivery.

This is a highly visible, customer-facing role that requires a strong merchant mindset, a sharp eye for design and trend, and the ability to manage multiple functions including product development, sourcing, inventory planning, customer relationships, and overall category strategy.

Duties

• Own and manage the Kitchen Textiles category business from concept to customer delivery, developing growth strategies that drive sales, profitability, and market share.
• Build assortments that align with customer needs, market trends, and business objectives; work hand-in-hand with the design team to curate the line, ensuring it reflects current trend direction, color stories, and customer aesthetic.
• Present assortments and line concepts directly to customers and buyers, serving as the primary point of contact for key accounts and identifying opportunities for tailored product programs.
• Lead product development from initial concept through sampling, costing, and final production, partnering with product development to ensure quality standards and design intent are met at every stage.
• Work closely with overseas factories and sourcing teams to ensure timely development and execution, negotiating costs and maintaining margin objectives without compromising quality.
• Analyze sales performance, inventory levels, and market trends to guide data-driven decisions; oversee forecasting, replenishment planning, and demand forecasting.
• Collaborate with sourcing, production, and sales teams to ensure successful product launches and manage seasonal product calendars to keep all milestones on track.
• Monitor competitive activity and identify opportunities for innovation and expansion.

• 5+ years of experience in Category Management, Merchandising, Product Development, Buying, or a related field within kitchen textiles or soft home categories.
• Experience within Kitchen Textiles, Table Linens, Bath, Home Textiles, or Consumer Products a must.
• Experience selling into the off-price channel required.
• Existing network of industry contacts — retail buyers, sourcing agents, or factory partners — required.
• Strong understanding of wholesale and retail business models, with a track record of growing business with major retailers.
• Comfort and confidence presenting assortments and line concepts directly to customers.
• Strong analytical, forecasting, and inventory planning skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation abilities.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and inventory/planning systems.