Senior Category Manager (Baby SAS/SIS)

Clicks Group Limited; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Clicks Group Limited is seeking a seasoned Category Manager to develop and execute the Clicks Baby category strategy, drive private label and exclusive brands, and mentor team members. The role focuses on accelerating category depth, optimizing pricing, and strengthening vendor partnerships to increase market share and profitability.

Responsibilities include managing the rollout of Clicks Baby, expanding the supplier network, coordinating promotional strategies, and ensuring accurate stock

Qualifications

• 4–6 years Category Management experience
• 2–3 years People Management experience
• Experience with local and global supplier networks
• Essential degree in Retail or Purchasing
• Ability to analyse market trends and vendor performance

Responsibilities

• Project manage Clicks Baby rollout and day-to-day management
• Identify new vendors and extend product assortment
• Negotiate and implement promotional strategy calendar
• Manage showroom ticketing and liaise with stakeholders
• Provide insights to Marketing, Baby Club and Loyalty Club
• Forecast stock with vendors and planners
• Ensure planograms and in-store merchandising align with strategy
• Coordinate HR, Sales Advisors and vendors training

Skills

Merchant mindset

Financial acumen

Planning & organisation

Supplier relationships

Project management

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Education

B Degree or Diploma in Retail, Purchasing Management

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

To develop and execute the category strategy in order to achieve and exceed the category financial targets through rapidly accelerating category depth, strengthen pricing strategy and driving private label and exclusive brands thereby creating product differentiation and innovation to increase market share and profitability. Playing an active role in mentoring and coaching of others.

• To develop and implementa category plan for specific product ranges to ensure reduced cost of goods, optimise contract terms and increase income, assume responsibility of budgetand revenue for category.
• To negotiate favourable trading terms and promotional spend (co-op), actively cultivate, develop and maintain vendor relationships and partnerships to ensure vendor performance and first to market with new product launches.
• To maintain relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products lines.
• To implement a plan that will achieve the Clicks' value proposition through price and promotion whilst achieving promotional sales targets.
• To translate the operating and financial plans into a balanced product assortment and visual on-shelf display to meet the customer’s needs
• To support the sourcing and development of private label products and exclusive brands thereby creating product differentiation, innovation and brand loyalty that will increase market share and profitability.
• To regularly review performance indicators, such as sales, margin and promo quantification, keeping the business updated on financial performance versus market and plan.
• To conduct range reviews, analyse consumer buying patterns, predict future trends and stay abreast with competitor activity.
• To work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including marketing and Clubcard to ensure effective delivery of the operating plan.
• To support both the Merchandise and Graduate Development Programmeby playing an active role in facilitating training sessions to embed sound procurement principles and commercial awareness.

The work streams will include, but is not limited to the following:

• Project managing the roll out and day to day management of Clicks Baby
• Identifying new vendors and source new categories, products whilst extending the existing assortment in line product strategy. Ensure products are loaded in line with critical path
• Negotiating, building and integrating a promotional strategy and calendar for SIS, SAS and Online Baby
• Manage and update showroom ticketing requirements and liaise with necessary stakeholders
• Provide insight into Marketing, Baby Club and Loyalty Club strategies and update team on innovation and key initiatives to drive the product strategy
• Ensuring stock forecasts are agreed with vendors and planners before ordering takes place
• Ensuring planograms, space and in store merchandising is aligned to the product strategy
• Aligning ops and stores with Clicks Baby SOP’s including showroom sample management
• Aligning HR, Sales Advisors and Vendors with training requirements
• Provide day to day support for Clicks Baby store queries and tailored customer requests

JobRelatedKnowledge:

• Procurement and Supply Chain
• Business Objectives and Strategies
• Business Processes
• Retail Management
• Market trends and competitor analysis
• Understanding of supplier co-op negotiations and trading terms
• Financial planning and budgets

Job Related Skills

• Strong Financial/Business acumen with a merchant mindset
• Planning and organisational skills
• Ability to build strong supplier relationships
• Competency in all computer packages, i.e. Outlook,Excel, PowerPoint
• Verbal and written communication
• Problem solving and analytical thinking
• Strategic thinking and decision making
• Project management
• Training facilitation

  Job Experience

  • 4-6years Category Management experience
  • 2-3 years People Management experience
  • Managing objectives
  • Experience with local and global supplier networks

  Education

  • B Degree or Diploma in Retail, Purchasing Management or similar (Essential)
  • Deciding and Initiating Action
  • Working with People
  • Persuading and Influencing
  • Analysing
  • Learning and Researching
  • Delivering Results & Meeting Customer Expectations
  • Achieving Personal Work Goals and Objectives
  • Entrepreneurial and Commercial Thinking

  All positions will be filled in accordance with our Employment Equity plan.We also encourage people with disabilities to apply.