Category Manager: Kidswear

About Somersault:

Somersault
is a purpose-driven kidswear brand on a mission to bring joy, comfort, and creativity to children's clothing. With a focus on quality, sustainability, and playful design, we cater to modern parents who value both style and practicality. As we continue to scale, we're looking for a sharp, strategic, and collaborative
Category Manager
to take ownership of our kidswear assortment and drive business growth.

Role Overview:

As a
Category Manager: Kidswear
, you will be responsible for the end-to-end strategy, performance, and profitability of assigned product categories within the Somersault portfolio.

You'll play a crucial role in understanding customer preferences, analysing market trends, managing vendor relationships, and collaborating across teams to ensure we offer the right products at the right price.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

·      Define and execute long-term category strategies in line with brand goals and customer needs.

·      Identify category gaps and growth opportunities across age groups, seasons, and usage occasions (e.g., every day wear, playwear, festive).

Market & Consumer Insights

·      Conduct competitive benchmarking and trend analysis to understand shifts in the kidswear landscape.

·      Leverage customer data and feedback to shape assortment and pricing decisions.

Product Lifecycle Management

·      Oversee the complete product lifecycle, from selection and launch to markdowns and phase-outs.

·      Partner with the design and product development teams to plan forward collections based on insights.

Buyer & Marketplace Management

·      Build strong marketplace relationships to ensure high-quality, timely, and cost-effective product sourcing.

·      Negotiate commissions, retainers, timelines, and exclusivity where applicable.

Performance Monitoring

·      Track KPIs such as category sales, margins, stock turns, and sell-through rates.

·      Prepare reports and dashboards for internal stakeholders, using insights to optimize future planning.

Pricing & Promotions

·      Develop data-driven pricing strategies to maximize profitability while staying competitive.

·      Plan and coordinate promotions, seasonal discounts, and bundled offers.

Merchandising & Product Presentation
●

·      Collaborate with visual merchandising and e-commerce teams to optimize product visibility both online and in physical retail (if applicable).

·      Ensure collections are logically organized and appeal to the sensibilities of parents and gift-buyers.

Cross-functional Collaboration

·      Work closely with marketing, supply chain, finance, and product teams to ensure seamless execution of category strategies.

·      Align seasonal launches and campaigns across channels for maximum impact.

Budget Management

·      Manage the category's financial performance, including budget allocation and forecasting.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

·      4–7 years of experience in category management, or buying, preferably in fashion, lifestyle, or kidswear.

·      Strong analytical skills and proficiency in Excel for sales and inventory analysis.

·      Excellent strategic thinking and commercial acumen.

·      Effective negotiation skills with a proven ability to manage supplier relationships.

·      Clear, confident communicator who can collaborate cross-functionally.

·      Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and timelines.

·      Proficient in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word); knowledge of retail planning tools is a plus.

·      Understanding of retail operations, online and offline merchandising, and pricing strategy.

·      A passion for kidswear, fashion, or family-centric brands is a big plus.

How to apply

• Send your resume and portfolio to