Description
Job Title: Associate Category Manager – Garden, Kitchen, Gifts
Status: 24 Month Contract, Full Time
Reporting to: Category Manager
Location: Ottawa, ON
About Lee Valley:
Since 1978, Lee Valley has recognized that for many, woodworking and gardening are more than just hobbies. Lee Valley Tools enjoys a proud history of providing high-quality woodworking, gardening, hobby, hardware, gift and seasonal merchandise to customers worldwide. We pride ourselves on providing quality products and renowned customer service.
Lee Valley has been honored with many prestigious awards, including being recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies in 2023 by Deloitte and one of Canada's Best Employers by Forbes in 2018. Additionally, we ranked #1 for In-Store Experience in Ontario by Leger Marketing Inc.
A position at Lee Valley is more than just a job – we honor the time and dedication that our people give by providing sustained and meaningful employment while striving to provide an environment where learning and development are encouraged.
Opportunity:
Lee Valley is seeking an Associate Category Manager- Garden, Kitchen Gifts, that is passionate about gardening or is an enthusiastic cook for a temporary/full-time opportunity (24 months contract with possibility of extension or permanent employment).
About 1/3 of our total sales volume is in products of our own design; the balance are from items our Category Managers source from around the world. This is where you fit in.
As an Associate Category Manager, you are primarily focused on two areas – finding and bringing to market the new products that will engage and delight our customers, and supporting the management of categories within your portfolio to ensure they are meeting the needs of our customers and performing to business targets.
You will maintain close working relationships with our vendors, aid with the development of strategies and solutions for improving business performance and provide cross-functional team communication to ensure execution on initiatives that support the business and reinforce Lee Valley’s position as a trusted, compelling place for our customers to shop.
You are entrepreneurial, have a passion for the customer and have a have a technical grounding in the products we offer.
If this describes you, then we want to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities:
Finding and bringing to market the new products:
- Support development and execution of our sourcing strategy, working with our category managers to prioritize and/or develop relevant new products and promotions that deliver clear value for our customers
- Manage new and existing vendor relationships, collaborating on initiatives to drive improvements in cost, quality, reliability and innovation for competitive advantage as well as provide feedback on performance
- Perform market research and coordinate closely with many of our internal departments to collect or communicate information pertaining to new products and marketing initiatives
- Develop product and promotional business cases, and collaborate with cross-functional teams on product marketing strategies and collateral for our stores, catalogs and website.
- Work closely with the Planners to review and align new product budgets, and optimize inventory levels
- Manage Quality Control, compliance matters and costing at the SKU level
Portfolio Management, for select sub-categories:
- Partner with the category manager to develop and execute on merchant assortment and financial plan for subcategory
- Co-own seasonal planning and execution
- Advocate portfolio development and management strategies for competitive advantage, consistent with marketing objectives; conduct reviews (product development initiatives, rationalizing product lines, assortment planning)
- Performance management to Revenue, Margin, Turnover and Inventory value targets
- Work closely with the Planners to review and align budgets, and optimize inventory levels and sub-category assortments
Provide analytical insights in support of customer engagement and Category Management initiatives on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual report basis for continuous improvement
Other duties and special projects as assigned
Knowledge and Skills:
- Post-Secondary education in Business or a related field of study; or equivalent
- 2-4 years of related experience in a retail environment, preferably with a background in sourcing, category management, supply chain, operations.
- Analytical and data skills: able to dig through data independently and draw insights. Strong Excel skills are a must!
- Financial Acumen- solid understanding on budgets and factors that can affect profitability.
- Strong communication: ability to clearly and persuasively communicate with a large variety of stakeholders; comfortable managing negotiations with vendors
- Enjoys solving complex problems in a fast-paced environment; solution based mindset
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suites
What we offer…
- Competitive compensation program including competitive base salary, a robust health and dental benefits packages well as a matching group retirement plan.
- Paid vacation and sick leave.
- Lee Valley Employee Discount
- A family oriented environment that supports growth and development for all employees.
Diversity and Inclusion:
At Lee Valley, we are proud to celebrate and foster a diverse team of professionals. We take pride in nurturing an inclusive culture that empowers our people to be their authentic selves, celebrate their differences and love where they work. Our diverse community combined with our inclusive culture, is what sets us apart in the industry.
We encourage all candidates to apply for job opportunities with Lee Valley regardless of race, national origin, colour, religion, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital and family status, or disability.
If you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Interested in joining the Lee Valley Team?
Apply online
