Associate Category Manager

Description

Day In The Life:

As an Associate Category Manager for the Zellers business, you will support the important strategic and operational decisions in partnership with our senior Category Managers. We are building a fun and engaging Omni channel experience for the customer and this merchant will support  the development and execution of the category, channel, and assortment strategy for this critical area of our business. You will be part of the team responsible for maximizing sales and profitability across the country, work collaboratively on the digital and store experience, and serve as a thought leader for how Zellers wins in an ever-evolving Canadian retail landscape in your categories of focus.

This is not a typical Associate Category Manager role. We are looking for builders, not just buyers; high performers with a vision of what a reimagined Zellers can be and who are excited about rolling up their sleeves to build it.  As a start-up within the larger organization, we are a ‘small and mighty’ team with a license to experiment and learn as we design and launch an exceptional, digital-first shopping experience. Our team values intellectual curiosity, diversity of people and perspectives, and a proactive get-things-done attitude. 

This role will actively support our DE&I framework by identifying opportunities to increase and promote diversity in our teams, products and brands. They will lead with inclusion to nurture our OneTeam culture by removing barriers for our Associates and communities.

What You Will Do:

• Design, plan and execute the category strategies in partnership with our Category Managers to drive growth in sales, profit, market share, and increase customer engagement (either for a single or multiple categories in tandem)
• Complete seasonal buys to ensure optimal productivity by style, and adjust and react to  in-season trends
• Partner with the Planning team to develop the assortment matrix, financial plans, and merchandise plan mix for pre-season and in season management for Category
• Facilitate item setup process, manage promotional downloads, sample management and ensure on time delivery of receipts
• Manage existing and new vendor relationships; support negotiations to secure effective costing and build optimized assortment strategies
• Demonstrate thought leadership on industry trends, competitive activity, and assortment/ product relevancy; make and execute recommendations to incorporate into the business
• Conduct an  in-depth analysis of sales and customer behavior & buying patterns, using data to drive profitable sales, business decisions, financial plan updates,  and in-season mitigation strategies
• Collaborate with Digital, Stores, and Marketing teams to develop and continuously enhance the customer experience (i.e., digital editorial content, sequencing and boosting, site navigation, planogram recommendations, actioning KPI insights, etc.) 
• Liaise with internal teams domestically and globally (i.e., supply chain & logistics, store operations, customer care, among others) to ensure strong in-stock positions, timely resolution of operational matters, and implementation of experiential and efficiency improvements
• Understand customer diversity; actively support our DE&I framework by identifying opportunities to increase the diversity of our products/ brands and to reflect the nuances of buying for various geographic cultures.
• Lead with inclusion to nurture our OneTeam culture by removing barriers for our Associates and communities

What You Will Need:

• Post-secondary degree in Business, Retail Management, or related field
• 3+ years experience as a merchant (i.e., merchant, buyer, associate category manager) with a track record of successfully delivering on strategic and operational category objectives
• Energized to build something new (i.e., strategy, processes, relationships, etc.)
• Passionate about product, digital retail and have an understanding of Canadian retail 
• Proven ability to support and create an executable business strategy 
• Can successfully build/ maintain strong vendor relationships
• Demonstrate effective negotiation skills and actively control the negotiation process that results in mutually beneficial outcomes
• Strong leadership, communication, interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Comfortable with ambiguity, change, and able to make quick decisions
• Comfortable working with large sums of data and drawing conclusions with imperfect information
• Strong aptitude to work within deadlines, both independently and as part of a team
• Gets things done by engaging in high-level teamwork and flexing your interpersonal skills
• A natural problem-solver, who is also intuitively analytical and creative
• Strong knowledge of G-Suite and Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel and PowerPoint) and the ability to  quickly learn internal systems, processes and additional software/web-based applications
• Working knowledge in site analytics tools (Google Analytics or Adobe Omniture) is preferred
• Overseas travel potentially required

What You Can Expect:

• A People-first culture where One Team spirit and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are celebrated and promoted at every step of the way
• An opportunity to work with highly supportive teams to help you build the career you want and leave your Stripe at The Bay
• A competitive benefits package including unlimited paid vacation, medical, dental, vision, parental leave top up coverages, retirement savings and more
• A ways of Working Program that enables you to work where you are most effective
• A living Well Program that provides a variety of offerings and resources to enhance your physical, mental, and financial wellness, including corporate gym membership rates.
• An amazing associate discount of up to 40% off top brands

About The Bay:

As Canada’s oldest startup, The Bay is a digital-first, purpose-led retailer. Our mission is to help Canadians live their best style of life.

The Bay is on a high-growth trajectory to become one of the largest digital retail businesses in Canada through TheBay.com and its Marketplace. If you are looking to join an iconic brand, create impactful change and be recognized for your work, we want you to join our team.

At The Bay, smart, high-performing team members will challenge you to learn and grow every day. We value ambitious work and great ideas grounded in data and insights. We are looking for talented people who love a fast-paced environment, embrace change and are looking to make an impact with groundbreaking ideas.

We are a digital-first company and brand for a diverse world and we need a diverse team to reach our potential.  Come and join a winning team that supports collaboration and demonstrates innovation, energy, creativity and vision every day.

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NOTE: Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

The Bay welcomes all applicants for this position; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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