Strategic Category Associate - Sourcing & Growth

Advance Auto Business Support (300); Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellness benefits

Job summary

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is seeking an Assistant Category Manager to support development and execution of category strategies that drive growth and optimize supplier relationships.

The role requires collaboration, financial acumen, and understanding of category lifecycle management, with responsibilities spanning SKU decisions, planning terms, and cross-functional teamwork. The position emphasizes business action planning, interpreting financial metrics, and working with merchants, inventory,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, or related field.
• 4-7 years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, or procurement.
• Intermediate analytical and financial modeling skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Tools (e.g., Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Responsibilities

• Category Management Describes strategic role of assigned category Identifies differences in category roles Recognizes how category strategy directs business decisions Executes SKU-level decisions to support sub-class and role goals and plan Identifies basic terms required in category planning (e.g., freight, payment terms, vendor data, deals)
• Business Acumen – Financial Management Identifies and explains financial reports pertaining to assigned SKUs Plans business actions for SKUs based on given budget information Identifies and explains basic financial metrics (e.g., Camp sales, GMROI) to better plan business actions Applies basic financial management concepts (COGS, Net OPROI, Receipts, Turnover, etc.) with assistance
• Supplier Management/Negotiation Communicates required information to suppliers Describes how each member of the cross-functional team (i.e., merchant, inventory, planning, procurement) interacts with suppliers Executes and tracks action items (to-do lists) related to sourcing Assists in defining negotiation requirements to optimize performance at the SKU-level (i.e., cost, quality, time, and performance).
• Strategic Thinking & Execution Executes detailed tasks needed to implement the vision within own group and role Describes future Company and customer expectations of a given product category Tracks and monitors current trends to assist in developing future trends and strategy Reviews strategies and helps determine application within product category
• Communication Discusses business issues and ideas to effectively perform role Develop documents to support work efforts within own team Assists in developing presentations for business groups audiences Writes using appropriate language and terminology for audiences
• Cross-Functional Leadership Recognizes and accepts personal role within business team Identifies relationship of own role to other roles on team Displays respect for other team members and their roles Accepts and incorporates positive and negative feedback regarding performance Develops constructive working relationships with team members to achieve goals

Skills

Category Management

Business Acumen

Supplier Management/Negotiation

Strategic Thinking & Execution

Communication

Cross-Functional Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Tools

Job description

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is seeking an Assistant Category Manager to support development and execution of category strategies that drive growth and optimize supplier relationships.

The role requires collaboration, financial acumen, and understanding of category lifecycle management, with responsibilities spanning SKU decisions, planning terms, and cross-functional teamwork. The position emphasizes business action planning, interpreting financial metrics, and working with merchants, inventory,