Associate Category Manager

Our vision at Petco is Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We’re making things better for pets, people and the planet through our Think Adoption First philosophy, the Petco Foundation and other important initiatives that focus on putting animals first, educating pet parents and reducing our carbon footprint. The journey starts with knowledgeable, passionately engaged associates who are proud to recommend Petco as a place to work, who believe in our Vision and who are committed to delivering a superior customer experience.

From our retail stores and our network of Distribution Centers to our Corporate offices, you'll work with others who share your values and commitment. We seek individuals who are passionate about animal welfare, have great people skills and are driven to grow and advance in their careers with us. Our ongoing growth is creating exceptional opportunities for professional development and personal enrichment throughout our organization.

Position Purpose:

The Associate Category Manager is accountable for online sales and profitability for assigned categories which align with retail merchandising partners. This position is accountable for the development and implementation of online merchandising goals, strategies and tactics for assigned category(s) in a manner that effectively reflects the overall strategy of the Category Manager and Director of Category Management,  to differentiate Petco from the competition, maximize sales, increase profit margin and assure all goals, strategies and tactics are aligned with the Petco value proposition of exceeding customers’ expectations and financial budgets. This role is a critical component to align to the overall category strategy put forth by the retail merchandising partner, developing initiatives for online channels and managing the execution of events including launching new merchandise, optimizing navigation and search and enabling a superior digital customer experience for Petco desktop, mobile and tablet customers.

Essential Job Functions: The incumbent must be able to perform all of the following duties and responsibilities with or without a reasonable accommodation.

• Demonstrating a passion and leadership competency for data-driven decision making
• Ensure assigned online category(s) goals and objectives are strategically and tactically aligned to differentiate Petco online from the competition, as well as deliver on Petco’s customer value proposition of exceeding customer expectations and financial budgets.
• Be the conduit between e-Commerce and Merchandising. Attend and represent e-Commerce in daily/weekly/monthly meetings with merchandising & inventory partners, ensuring full understanding and participation in decisions regarding new product launches, assortment changes, brick & mortar pricing and promotional plans etc. Expected to share plans with e-Commerce Category Manager on a regular basis.
• Accountable for ownership in creating, developing and implementing financial models which manage assortment analysis and planning, product mix, pricing, gross margin, replenishment and promotional expenditures, as well as ensure proper product allocation and inventory levels to meet the financial model’s goals; as directed, use objective means to monitor progress toward goals, such as auditing sales and business performance (by item and category) to ensure planned profit margins goals are being met and recommend adjustments accordingly if they are not.
• In conjunction with e-Commerce Category Manager, collaborate with online pricing team to develop overall pricing strategy and promotional calendar across your categories to increase traffic and drive sales and profit goals.
• Conduct research on products, merchandise, customer trends and market factors, utilizing the category review process, APT and online analytic tools to identify key factors affecting the performance of assigned category(s).
• Have a deep knowledge of ecommerce best practices including competitive strategies, marketing, usability testing and industry trends.
• Ensure all activities comply and are conducted in accordance with international, federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances; remain cognizant of planned/proposed changes to same.
• Create and nurture a “shared-vision” environment of collaboration, partnership and open discussion with team and other Petco team members and stakeholders, both internal and external, that establishes and communicates clear and realistic goals, objectives and functional roles and are aligned with the category(s) strategic plan; use objective means to monitor progress toward those goals; effectively coordinate team members in order to meet timelines.
• Interact professionally and effectively through verbal and written communication with all professional contacts with emphasis on company interests. Perform other related duties, tasks and responsibilities as required, assigned and directed.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Education and Experience:

Requires a minimum of two to four years of professional-level experience in a fast-paced businesses/ functional areas. Appropriate areas include brand management, marketing, supply chain, or relevant verticals such as Retail, CPG, or Management Consulting.

The candidate should have some the following preferred qualifications:

• Proven track record of taking ownership and delivering results
• Strong multi-tasking ability and experience with meeting multiple deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to thrive and succeed in an entrepreneurial environment and not be hindered by ambiguity or competing priorities
• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written), with vendor, client, or customer-facing experience
• Passionate & skilled about understanding the insights behind consumer behavior
• Highly organized, flexible, easily adapts to changes

Specific functional experience should include buying, account management, product management, project management, financial analysis and/or marketing. The successful candidate should also be versed in negotiations and highly proficient at excel. Must have advanced computer skills, including MS Office Suite and the aptitude to learn and utilize new internal applications.  Additionally, this position requires a highly advanced level of knowledge, competency and continued development in the following areas with the ability to effectively: 

• Persuade, and motivate others with the ability to flex style as the situation requires, and collaborate or empower as needed
• Continue to expand ability to manage multiple responsibilities with the skill to multi-task and shift focus from one task to another seamlessly
• Recognize and seize upon opportunities to maximize sales and profitability
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with a demonstrated experience engaging and influencing cross-functional teams and senior executives
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn our suite of in-house tools.
• Attention to detail, ability to learn quickly and deliver results, and manage multiple projects and competing priorities

Must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to obtain a US Passport for international travel.