Category Manager

About West Marine We don’t just sell anchors and rigging. We sell a love of the water that lasts for generations. We don’t just sell life jackets and flares. We sell peace of mind for your most precious cargo. We don’t just have a passion for boating. We have a lifetime of experience that we can’t wait to share with you. So when you shop at West Marine, it’s not just for boating gear – it’s for the pure pursuit of more water and less hassle. If you have a passion for being on the water and are looking to join a world-class organization, then West Marine is the place for you! West Marine is recognized as the premier multi-channel retailer of boating and fishing supplies with more than 230 stores located throughout 37 states and Puerto Rico. When you work at West Marine, you’re part of a family; one that values spending quality time on the water, doing the things you love, and sharing that passion with our customers and community. Position Summary: We are seeking a Category Manager in our Fort Lauderdale, FL Support Center. This ideal candidate for this role is a proven category leader who is passionate about our category and consumer and who wants to lead the charge on driving many more new boaters into the West Marine ecosystem. As the person responsible for the buying function in these categories, they will take the lead in building and executing product assortments throughout our interconnected commerce ecosystem. The ideal candidate should

be a positive, results-driven product leader that develops the overall strategy for their product categories.

have significant experience in a multi-store category management or buying environment.

lead with clarity, focus and compassion.

use data to determine the optimal assortment, selling price and promotional cadence appropriate to channel and category.

have a “customer first” mentality and strive to create raving fans through having the right products in the right place at the right time and at the right price.

be able to develop a clear marketing cadence for key products and will deliver on financial results.

have the required collaborative and cross-functional capabilities to lead strategies from conception through execution.

have a considerable track record of building industry-leading vendor partnerships that result in innovative assortments, profitable growth and win-win outcomes for all parties.

have successful negotiating experience in a fast-pace, growth industry

Primary Responsibilities:

Define business strategy using data and trends at division and category level.

Execute and manage the optimum category/ product assortment to deliver against the agreed targets.

Create compelling assortments and ensure they are regionally appropriate, seasonally relevant and marine-focused.

Work in partnership with the Merchandise Planner to be accountable for the overall inventory health of assigned departments with direct responsibility for negotiating promotional support and vendor buy backs. Consistently reviews unproductive inventory and recommends creative strategies to resolve.

Being a student of consumer insights and industry trends, ensuring this is reflected in assortment and marketing.

Leadership Skills:

Team leader with the ability to hire and build an effective team committed to company strategies and goals.

Excellent communicator who fosters open communication and listens. Speaks and writes effectively and with professional acumen.

High emotional intelligence with the ability to adapt quickly to change and act with integrity.

Analytical with the ability to think strategically and provide vision to the team and vendor community. Will push for innovation both in product and process.

Education, Experience & Skills:

A bachelor’s degree in business or related field

5 plus years-experience in Category Management or Merchandising in a retail buying environment or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Understanding and demonstrated execution of merchandising math principles

Proven negotiator

Strong presentation skills

Skilled conflict manager

Excellent vendor relationship development track record

PC proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Office, Power Point, Excel, Word

Relex and JDA knowledge a plus.

Team leader—Builds an effective team committed to company strategies and goals; fosters collaboration among team members and among teams; uses teams to address relevant issues.

Excellent communicator—Fosters open communication and listens. Speaks and writes effectively and with professional acumen.

Demonstrates adaptability and acts with integrity.

Analytical and strategic—Ability to think strategically and provide vision to the team and vendor community. Will push for innovation both in product and process.

Boating knowledge or experience is highly preferred.