Director -Category

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients Min Experience: 8 years Location: Gurgaon JobType: full-time We are seeking an accomplished and strategic Director – Category to lead end-to-end category management, drive business growth, and optimize product performance across key segments. The ideal candidate will bring 8–15 years of experience in category strategy, P&L ownership, supplier management, and customer insights. This is a high-impact leadership role requiring strong analytical capabilities, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to translate market trends into actionable business plans. Requirements Key Responsibilities Category Strategy & Leadership - Own the overall category vision, roadmap, and long-term strategy to maximize revenue, profitability, and market share. - Identify emerging trends, customer needs, and competitive shifts to continuously expand and strengthen the category portfolio. - Develop and implement annual operating plans, including sales targets, pricing strategy, assortment optimization, and promotional frameworks. Assortment Planning & Product Portfolio Optimization - Build and refine a data-driven assortment strategy to ensure an optimal product mix aligned with customer preferences and business priorities. - Conduct regular market, competitor, and demand analyses to expand winning product lines, retire underperforming items, and drive portfolio efficiency. - Work closely with merchandising, demand planning, and supply chain teams to ensure product availability, forecast accuracy, and operational effectiveness. Vendor & Supplier Management - Lead negotiations with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, terms, rebates, and exclusivity opportunities. - Develop strong vendor partnerships, ensuring alignment on quality, compliance, innovation pipelines, and business goals. - Monitor supplier performance through structured SLAs, quarterly reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives. P&L Ownership & Performance Management - Manage full category P&L, including revenue, margins, cost structures, promotional budgets, and inventory levels. - Track category performance through key metrics such as sell-through rates, contribution margins, inventory turns, and customer satisfaction. - Build business cases, financial models, and performance dashboards to inform decision-making and strategic prioritization. Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with marketing teams to develop integrated campaigns, digital activation plans, and brand-building initiatives that elevate category visibility. - Collaborate with product, operations, and technology teams to enhance customer experience, streamline workflows, and support new category opportunities. - Influence senior leadership through strategic insights, business recommendations, and transparent communication around category health. Team Leadership & Development - Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of category managers, analysts, and specialists. - Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, ownership, and data-driven decision-making. - Encourage cross-team learning, skill advancement, and continuous improvement. Qualifications & Experience - 8–15 years of progressive experience in category management, merchandising, buying, or product strategy, preferably in consumer goods, retail, e-commerce, or related sectors. - Proven track record of P&L management, vendor negotiations, assortment optimization, and scaling category performance. - Strong analytical mindset with the ability to turn data into insights and insights into business actions. - Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills. - Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced, and growth-driven environment.