Senior Category Manager / Product Development

Our client, a quickly growing startup backed by the world's largest cannabis company, is searching for a Senior Category Manager to play an integral role in leading specific categories in its merchandise division. They are building a diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters innovative product development while giving back to the community and promoting social equity. This position would be focused on enhancing people’s lives through design-led, original products and plays a major role in realizing our vision.

The Senior Category Manager is accountable for owning and implementing the vision, strategy and direction of their portfolio along with developing merchandise that meets both financial and overall brand vision goals. This individual is responsible for finding innovative ways to grow and support overall brand objectives, working cross-functionally to execute upon strategies and plans and will report into the VP of Merchandising.

They are looking for an energetic, detail oriented and creative individual who enjoys being part of a team and takes pride in their career to work in a fast-paced office. This role is based out of West Hollywood, LA (but will be virtual for the time being).

Responsibilities:

• Set strategic plans for the category and a path to implementation that is consistent with the company’s overall goals
• Lead idea-generation and recommend new product ideas and brand-aligned collaborations
• Recommend and help to develop merchandising and marketing strategies for each product (price, marketing positioning, content creation)
• Manage the Product Creation timeline from concept to retail shelf consistent with the brand objectives, SKU management, sales and margin targets.
• Lead key negotiations with vendors to gain best possible terms of engagement, maintain positive vendor relationships focusing on finding new and brand appropriate merchandise
• Work closely with vendor partners to bring products from ideation to completion in a timely manner
• Seek out and identify new opportunities to grow and expand category by benchmarking competition, spotting suitable trends, and finding new categories, products and best practices
• Analyze sales results and make appropriate decisions to drive the business
• Collaborate with Marketing/PR to ensure assortment strategy is properly communicated in marketing materials
• Communicate regularly and effectively with cross functional team and founders to both get input and share out progress
• Ensures the implementation and compliance of operating standards and practices across entire line of business
• Own the completion of deliverables and set/adhere to budgets, as applicable
• Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all design and decision-making processes while holding true to our creative vision
• Proactively identify and anticipate customer expectations and needs
• Challenge the status quo and consistently identify areas for improvement, diagnose issues and working to resolve them
• Help to build merchandising team processes
• Reports to VP of Merchandising

Requirements:

• 7+ years’ retail merchandising/buying experience (with an emphasis on working with / developing hard goods)
• 3+ years’ experience as a Category Manager
• Proven experience in developing and implementing effective business processes and managing complex, cross functional projects
• A passion for design, art and culture. Plugged into relevant brands and artists that intersect with Houseplant
• Ability to effectively interact with senior level roles
• Skilled at managing multiple projects and timelines
• Ability to effectively problem solve
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to influence key stakeholders
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Effective meeting facilitation skills
• Flexible, with the ability to handle ambiguity at times
• Proficient with software applications, particularly Excel

This employer is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.