Category Manager

Dis-Chem Pharmacies; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is seeking a Category Manager to define category strategy, manage assortment and SKU selection, and set pricing and promotions to drive profitable growth across all channels.

The role focuses on data-driven decision making to optimise range, space and commercial performance, collaborating with buying, marketing and retail operations to deliver category profitability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or related discipline.
• 5–7 years of experience in retail or FMCG category management.
• Demonstrated success in delivering category growth and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Execute category strategies aligned with the commercial vision and group objectives.
• Shape assortment, SKU selection, micro space planning and pricing to optimise profitability and performance.
• Integrate online and offline channels to drive omnichannel performance within product areas and categories.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with buying, marketing and retail operations for strategy execution.

Skills

Category management

Pricing

Assortment optimisation

Supplier management

Promotions process

Margin improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/marketing

Job description

The Category Manager is accountable for defining the category strategy, including managing the category’s assortment, SKU selection, pricing inputs, and promotional strategy to deliver profitable category growth. The role focuses on data-driven decision-making to optimise range, space and commercial performance across all channels.

Minimum Requirements…

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or related discipline OR
• 5-7 years of experience in retail or FMCG category management.
• Demonstrated success in delivering category growth and profitability.

Advantageous:

• Leadership experience

Job Specification…

Strategy and value delivery

• Execute category strategies aligned with the overall commercial vision and group objectives.
• Shape assortment, SKU selection, micro space planning and pricing to optimise profitability, category and financial performance.
• Integrate online and offline channels to drive omnichannel performance/profitability within product areas and categories.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead cross-functional collaboration with buying, marketing and retail operations to ensure category strategy execution.
• Collaborate with private label and CoE teams to drive category sales and profitability.
• Coordinate with retail operations and other commercial teams for stock availability, demand forecasting and fulfilment efficiency.

Governance & Risk

• Ensure compliance with pricing, promotional and commercial governance Standards.
• Monitor adherence to category policies, contracts and rebate structures.

Key Competencies

• Strong knowledge of category management, pricing, assortment optimisation, supplier management, promotions process and margin improvement
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Proven ability to use analytics and customer insights to drive category strategy.

Special conditions of employment:

• Key performance indicators:
• Category growth and profitability – Category sales growth (YoY%), gross margin (%).
• Customer and market performance – Category market share (%,) private label share (%).
• Operational and supplier excellence – assortment optimisation, promotional .effectiveness, price competitiveness and trading term management.
• Improvement in team culture score.