Category Manager, Softlines

Job  |  for E-Commerce LLC

We are looking for an experienced and entrepreneurial Vendor Manager with Project Management expertise to help create a best-in-class experience for Retail Categories.

Responsibilities include managing the category and vendor portfolio, building and sustaining strategic relationships with key local and global manufacturers and suppliers, improving the end-to-end Amazon customer experience, and helping to shape the evolution of how customers shop online for these categories. We are looking for a passionate customer and category advocate within Amazon, with proven analytical capabilities and project management skills, strong attention to detail, the ability to effectively prioritize and multi-task, and a proven record of driving category growth.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter with a passion for retail, high levels of flexibility and commitment, and ability to hire and develop a high-performing team.

• Customer Focus
• Evaluates products and services to continually drive quality of customer experience.
• Aggregates and escalates industry trends; ensures team prioritizes customer obsession.
• Identifies opportunities to differentiate our customer experience from the competition.

• Strategy
• Develops and implements action plans based on deep-dive analysis of product line metrics.
• Provides recommendation on business opportunities and long-term strategy for multiple sub-categories.

• Vendor/Project Management
• Expands current vendor selection and secures new brand selection.
• Focuses on strategic holdout or challenging vendors to increase selection.
• Drives strategic negotiations to deliver top- and bottom-line category growth.
• Builds long-term relationships by creating value, opportunities for growth, customer acquisition, and brand-building for multiple vendors.
• Increases vendor participation through deep knowledge of program opportunities.

• In-Stock Management
• Manage inventory availability and inventory health including: improved in-stock, inventory planning, vendor operational improvement (efficiency, fill rates, lead times), systematic forecasting, efficiency improvement with vendors and within the fulfillment centers.
• Drive tools and process improvements that affect purchasing and vendor management workflows.

• Business Operations
• Dives deep into inputs and understands the downstream impact of changes to pricing, selection, and convenience for multiple subcategories.
• Owns the Retail P&L for multiple subcategories; develops plans that drive revenue and margin improvement for the business.
• Audits all elements of multiple subcategory businesses.
• Identifies areas that need vendor attention and directs team to address issues; acts as escalation point, helping team and vendor(s) resolve conflicts.
• Creates long-term category solutions that automate or simplify category processes.
• Works with internal technical, cross-category, and tech teams to drive multi-system process changes.

• Own and drive the strategic relationship with assigned vendor partners across the Softlines category, serving as the primary point of contact and ensuring alignment on business objectives, growth initiatives, and operational excellence
• Develop and execute comprehensive business plans with vendors to achieve revenue targets, selection expansion, and customer experience improvements, including negotiating terms, pricing strategies, and promotional calendars
• Analyze business performance metrics including sales trends, inventory health, traffic patterns, and conversion rates to identify opportunities and risks, and develop data-driven action plans to optimize vendor performance
• Lead cross-functional initiatives with internal teams including retail, marketing, operations, and finance to drive vendor success and resolve complex business challenges
• Manage vendor P&L accountability, including forecasting, budgeting, and tracking key financial metrics such as gross merchandise sales (GMS), margins, and profitability targets
• Drive selection expansion by identifying gaps in the catalog, sourcing new products and brands, and ensuring competitive pricing and compelling value propositions for customers
• Own vendor…