Buyer : Pet & Baby

Woolworths; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent retail company in Cape Town is looking for a Category Manager. You will be responsible for developing and executing the category strategy to ensure sustainable growth and operational excellence. The ideal candidate has 3-5 years of retail experience, strong negotiation skills, and a proactive mindset. This position is permanent and offers a remuneration package that is market-related.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3-5 years Buying / Retail experience.
• Experience in the Nonfoods Industry is advantageous.
• Proven sourcing and supplier management experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategy to ensure operational excellence.
• Analyse market and sales data to drive desired outcomes.
• Mentor and support development of Buyers Assistants.

Skills

Buying / Retail experience

Negotiation skills

Financial management skills

Proactive & Innovative mindset

Understanding of global & seasonal trends

Education

Tertiary diploma / degree

Job description

Job category : Other : FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply ChainLocation : Cape TownContract : PermanentRemuneration : Market RelatedEE position : NoIntroductionResponsible for the execution of the HPPC strategy.

Co-ordinates the delivery of the category strategy to deliver sustainable profitable growth and operational excellence.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and execute category strategy to ensure delivery of operational excellence.Support the co-ordination of the matrix team in order to deliver the category strategy.Analyse and interpret market and sales data to develop tactical plans to drive the desired outcome.Formulate category plans with suppliers.Monitor and interpret industry and international trends (doing both local and international benchmarking).

Deliver against operational excellence and KPIs for the department.Focus on medium-term sustainable market share growth.Ensure the delivery of sustainable growth for category level.Co-ordinate matrix team to effectively deliver KPIs.Facilitate team direction and pace to effectively deliver KPIs.Assist team in navigating through obstacles.Mentor and support the development of Buyers Assistants.Share category strategy with stakeholders and get their buy-in.Conduct continuous review of supplier performance against plan and course correct based on variables / changes.Monitor and ensure adherence to ethical compliance.Liaise with marketing, sales management, space planning & trade planning to effectively drive the growth of the category.Review factors influencing trade i.e., market share, local & international trends, economic climate, competitor activity & changes to customer shopping habits, and translate into strategy.Minimum RequirementsTertiary diploma / degree.Minimum 3-5 years Buying / Retail experience.Pet and Baby experience would be advantageouscommercial skills & experience within the Nonfoods Industry (Household, Pet, Media, and Personal Care) – knowledge of store operations, customer profiles, locations & competitors.An understanding of Manufacturing and Production planning within a private label supplier would be advantageous.Proven experience in managing a Foods / FMCG department.Proven sourcing and supplier management experience.Strong negotiation and financial management skills.Proactive & Innovative with a continuous improvement mindset.Intimate understanding of who the customer is and the ability to view the world through their eyes.Strong understanding of global & seasonal trends.Ability to consistently make logical deductions from given information and use these to transform the department.Ability to convey information clearly and confidently when interacting with teams.Drive the creation and development of products, services, and experiences that are convenient and innovative for customers.Anticipate potential obstacles and identify project risks that may impact project deadlines and delivery, escalating these risks where appropriate.Knowledge of appropriate retail department systems and related processes across the value chain to manage objectives and enhance problem-solving abilities.Manage supplier delivery against business standards and values, maximizing value and reducing risks through identification and resolution of limitations / shortcomings.