Overview
A leading corporate pharmacy chain with 500+ stores and 5000+ employees is hiring for a Category Management Job in Mumbai. This office-based role (Alternate Saturdays off) offers a competitive salary of up to INR 35 LPA CTC.
The ideal candidate should have 15+ years of experience in category management, retail buying, or merchandising, preferably from retail, beauty & personal care, apparel & fashion, or healthcare verticals. Candidates from pure FMCG grocery, staples, drinks, frozen food, quick commerce, or D2C sectors are considered a misfit for this role.
The role corresponds to an Assistant General Manager (AGM) level, so leadership experience, P&L accountability, and team management are essential.
Job Location
Location: LBS Marg, Vikhroli West, Mumbai
Pin Code: 400083
Work Mode: Work from Office (Alternate Saturdays off)
About the Client
The company is a leading corporate pharmacy chain with more than 500 stores across India. It focuses on customer experience, omnichannel growth, and category-led profitability, and provides employees opportunities to work in a structured, multi-store retail environment.
Role Overview
This Category Management Job in Mumbai requires a strategic and commercially minded professional who can lead a team of category managers, analysts, and specialists.
The role includes:
- Defining medium-term (1–3 years) and annual business plans aligned with company growth, profitability, and market share objectives
- Driving category performance across offline and online channels
- Leading initiatives like new product launches, SKU rationalization, and channel-specific strategies
- Managing P&L accountability, budgets, pricing, promotional plans, and inventory
- Overseeing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, and monitoring supplier performance
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Planning
- Define annual and medium-term business plans for the category group
- Analyse consumer trends, competition, and channel shifts (online vs offline)
- Prioritize initiatives such as product launches, SKU rationalization, and channel strategies
Commercial & P&L Management
- Own P&L accountability for assigned categories
- Set sales, margin, cost, and inventory targets
- Develop pricing, promotional calendars, markdown plans, and clearance strategies
- Track key metrics: sales growth, gross margin, inventory turnover, sell-through rate
Assortment & Vendor Management
- Lead assortment planning and onboarding of new products
- Negotiate vendor contracts and monitor performance for quality, delivery, and promotions
- Build strong supplier relationships and ensure alignment with business objectives
Inventory & Supply Chain Coordination
- Collaborate with supply chain and operations teams to optimize inventory
- Track slow-moving stock, markdowns, returns, and vendor chargebacks
Omnichannel & Store Execution
- Execute category strategy across physical stores and digital channels
- Work with merchandising, store operations, and e-commerce teams
- Translate national strategy into regional execution while allowing store-level flexibility
Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Lead and mentor a team of category managers, analysts, and specialists
- Set objectives, monitor performance, and coach for development
- Influence senior leadership and collaborate cross-functionally
Reporting & Continuous Improvement
- Provide timely reports and dashboards on category performance
- Identify process gaps and implement best practices
- Benchmark performance against industry standards and adopt innovations
Required Qualifications & Skills
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail, Marketing, or Commerce; MBA preferred
- 15+ years of experience in category management, merchandising, or retail buying
- Strong P&L management and commercial acumen
- Expertise in retail operations, supply chain, and inventory management
- Excellent analytical and negotiation skills
- Experience leading teams and driving cross-functional collaboration
- Proficiency in Excel, Power BI/Tableau, ERP/merchandising systems
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Category sales growth vs prior year/budget
- Gross margin and contribution margin improvement
- Inventory turnover, sell-through rate, and SKU availability
- Number of new products launched and SKU rationalization achieved
- Vendor performance and promotional support
- Team performance metrics
- Omnichannel execution and online/offline channel mix
- Customer-centric metrics (Category NPS, satisfaction scores)
Who Should Apply?
- Candidates with experience in retail, beauty & personal care, apparel & fashion, or healthcare
- Able to lead a team and manage multi-store operations
- Experienced in P&L accountability and multi-channel execution
Who Should Not Apply ?
- Professionals from FMCG grocery, staples, drinks, frozen food, quick commerce, or D2C sectors
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this role remote?
No, this is a work-from-office role with Alternate Saturdays off.
What is the salary?
Up to INR 35 LPA CTC.
What experience is required?
15+ years in category management, retail buying, or merchandising, preferably from retail, beauty & personal care, apparel & fashion, or healthcare verticals.