Category Strategy Lead: Growth, P&L & Cross-Functional

Dis-Chem Pharmacies; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is seeking a Category Executive to lead the end-to-end category strategy, drive growth, and ensure alignment with commercial priorities across the category ecosystem.

The role mandates strong leadership, proven strategy development, and the ability to manage cross-functional teams including buyers and planners, while safeguarding profitability and governance standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, commerce, economics or similar field.
• Minimum 10-12 years of experience in category management, merchandising, or commercial management.
• Proven track record in strategy development and P&L ownership.
• Experience managing cross-functional category teams.
• Leadership experience, including managing cross-functional category teams.

Responsibilities

• Define the end-to-end category specific strategy, including growth ambitions, customer value proposition, financial targets and competitive positioning.
• Set category assortment architecture, SKU rationalisation principles and portfolio balance.
• Develop category pricing and promotion principles within Commercial.
• Decision Intelligence (CoE) guardrails.
• Lead and influence cross-functional teams including category managers, buyers and planners.
• Communicate category strategies clearly and ensure shared understanding of priorities across execution teams.
• Provide strategic guidance to category teams to ensure execution accuracy and quality.
• Ensure all category decisions comply with commercial guardrails for margin, profitability and pricing architecture.
• Ensure category strategies comply with data, policy and financial governance standards.
• Identify and elevate risks related to commercial performance vulnerabilities.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Commercial acumen

Category management

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, commerce, economics or similar field

Job description

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is seeking a Category Executive to lead the end-to-end category strategy, drive growth, and ensure alignment with commercial priorities across the category ecosystem.

The role mandates strong leadership, proven strategy development, and the ability to manage cross-functional teams including buyers and planners, while safeguarding profitability and governance standards.