Category Manager

MissionHires is seeking a Category Manager on behalf of a growing regional home improvement retailer. This role will lead strategy and performance for assigned hardlines categories, including electrical, plumbing, paint sundries, fasteners, builders’ hardware, and related products. The Category Manager will own assortment, pricing, promotions, vendor relationships, inventory productivity, and in-store execution across a 19-store network.

• Develop and execute category strategies that drive sales growth, gross margin improvement, inventory productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Manage assortments across assigned hardware and home improvement categories, balancing national brands, private label, opening-price-point, professional-grade, and seasonal products.
• Analyze sales, margin, inventory turns, sell-through, in-stock levels, market trends, and competitive activity to identify opportunities and risks.
• Lead vendor negotiations involving product costs, rebates, payment terms, freight, promotional support, exclusivity, buybacks, new-item launches, and service-level expectations.
• Build promotional calendars, advertising programs, seasonal events, endcap strategies, and special-buy opportunities that increase traffic, basket size, and category profitability.
• Partner with supply chain and inventory teams to maintain appropriate stock levels, reduce out-of-stocks, improve inventory turns, and address slow-moving inventory.
• Collaborate with store operations to support planogram compliance, accurate signage, product knowledge, resets, promotions, and seasonal transitions.
• Evaluate new products, vendor programs, and category expansion opportunities based on customer demand, profitability, operational fit, and competitive positioning.
• Manage product lifecycles, including item introductions, transitions, markdowns, clearance plans, and discontinued inventory.
• Prepare category performance reporting, business reviews, recommendations, and action plans for senior leadership.
• Work closely with merchandising leadership, vendors, marketing, finance, supply chain, inventory management, field leadership, and store teams to deliver profitable and executable category plans.

• 3–7 years of experience in category management, buying, merchandising, procurement, vendor management, or retail operations.
• Experience in hardware, home improvement, building materials, farm and home, or a related retail environment is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of hardware categories, customer shopping behavior, seasonal demand, and retail store execution.
• Knowledge of electrical and/or plumbing product categories.
• Demonstrated ability to use sales, margin, inventory, and vendor performance data to make profitable business decisions.
• Proven vendor negotiation skills and the ability to build productive supplier partnerships while protecting profitability.
• Experience with pricing strategy, promotional planning, planogram management, product transitions, markdowns, and inventory lifecycle management.
• Strong financial acumen, including sales planning, margin management, cost negotiation, and inventory productivity.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and reporting tools; experience with retail merchandising, ERP, inventory, or business intelligence systems is preferred.
• Comfort using AI tools in a business setting.
• Clear communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence vendors, store teams, cross-functional partners, and senior leaders.
• Strong attention to detail, problem-solving ability, follow-through, and comfort managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Marketing, or a related field is preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

• Opportunity to shape category strategy and influence performance across a 19-store retail network.
• High-visibility role with direct impact on sales, margins, inventory productivity, and customer experience.
• Collaboration with an experienced merchandising leader who values autonomy, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Hands-on, collaborative culture with close partnership between merchandising and store teams.
• Opportunity to bring ideas to life through promotions, assortments, vendor programs, and in-store merchandising initiatives.
• Work with a retailer investing in store remodels, leadership development, merchandising capabilities, and long-term growth.