Category Owner

Industrybuying is looking for a highly motivated and focused Category Owner to lead the growth and profitability of a product category. The role will be responsible for developing category strategy, driving revenue growth, expanding product assortment, strengthening vendor partnerships, and ensuring a superior customer experience. This position requires a strong blend of business acumen, analytical capability, and stakeholder management skills to scale the category in a competitive B2B e-commerce environment.

Key Responsibilities

Fulfilment & Supply Chain Coordination

• Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, and Fulfilment teams to improve internal & external customer service levels and order fulfilment rates.

• Own the P&L and overall performance of the assigned category.
• Drive category revenue, margin, and market share through strategic initiatives.
• Identify growth opportunities and execute plans to increase sales of both existing and newly launched SKUs.

• Expand the category by onboarding new brands, vendors, and products.
• Optimize product assortment to ensure breadth, depth, and relevance for customers.
• Drive SKU rationalization and portfolio enhancement based on demand trends and business priorities.
• Ensure product content, specifications, and merchandising are optimized for conversion.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with manufacturers, distributors, and key suppliers.
• Lead commercial negotiations related to pricing, margins, rebates, promotional support, and business terms.
• Identify and onboard new brands to strengthen the category portfolio.

• Establish competitive pricing strategies while maintaining category profitability.
• Monitor market trends, competitor pricing, and customer demand patterns.
• Drive pricing optimization through data-driven decision making and vendor negotiations.

• Leverage data and analytics to identify business opportunities, customer trends, and category performance gaps.
• Track key performance indicators including revenue, margin, assortment growth, fulfilment metrics, and inventory turns.

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, or a related field.
• 3–8 years of experience in Category Management, Product Management, Procurement, Sourcing, Vendor Management, or Business Development.
• AI-savvy with a keen interest in leveraging AI tools and technologies to improve productivity, streamline workflows, and drive data-backed decision-making.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing category growth and vendor partnerships.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive business decisions.
• Proven negotiation and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Strong communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience in B2B e-commerce, industrial distribution, procurement, or MRO products will be preferred.

• Candidates with experience in any of the following categories will be preferred:
• Material Handling & Packing
• Pumps & Motors
• Industrial Supplies & MRO