Sr Category Manager

Company Summary

is a leading eCommerce platform offering nearly 12 million tools, parts and supplies for our business customers. Launched in 2011, we brought a B2C-like experience to the B2B industry, and continue to be at the forefront of digital innovation at the intersection of technology and distribution. We have rapidly grown to over $1 billion in annual revenue and we're just getting started!

At Zoro, we desire to have every product for every business need. Sr. Category Managers are key contributors to our growth in both sales and category expansion, taking on the scope of and complexity of managing large and/or highly complex categories (sometimes multiple) and their respective supplier relationships. The Category Management team is responsible for defining strategies for our key categories and then finding and managing supplier relationships that allow us to add products and drive growth in those categories.

Beyond individual category management, this role carries a broader strategic impact by leading strategic and operational initiatives on behalf of the entire Category Management team to drive scalable results.

A Sr. Category Manager's success will be defined by unlocking the future portfolio with identification and development of new supplier relationships as well as accelerating the sales of the existing portfolio of products, and delivering executive business reviews for strategic partners.

Furthermore, the Sr. Category Manager acts as a people leader, expected to effectively lead and coach team members to contribute to overall talent development. We expect our Sr. Category Managers to be thought leaders, able to think big and create a scalable vision, and be able to solve problems unique to their categories. The Sr. Category Manager is a hands‑on general manager of their product lines, requiring strong internal influence skills to build relationships and understand the inner workings of our business.

Being an e‑commerce company, we have vast amounts of data in which you'll need to be able to digest and turn into actionable plans to manage your business. A successful candidate is an effective communicator, is highly influential, can think big, demonstrates a bias for action and strong business acumen, and leads with curiosity.

• Understand vertical market segments and demonstrate solid analytical skills to be able to mine data, understand the drivers of your business, and create category strategies
• Prospect, sell, and negotiate contracts with suppliers to achieve a fast launch to market with the highest level of success while managing within operational capabilities and profitability
• Deliver executive business reviews for strategic suppliers that define, among other things, supplier performance, product line expansion roadmaps, supplier capabilities, and/or challenges
• Understand the Zoro customer and connect products to customer needs, including understanding new product trends and technologies and differences among brands
• Effectively lead team members and coach team member(s) to contribute to talent development
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to gain buy‑in and drive support for key category initiatives and growth levers
• Lead strategic and operational initiatives on behalf of the Category Management team to drive scalable results
• Own, manage, and proactively negotiate ongoing supplier cost updates to mitigate price increases and protect category profitability

• Bachelor's degree required, MBA or equivalent preferred
• 10+ years of proven experience in a related field
• Experience in distribution, online marketplaces, wholesale, e-commerce preferred
• Expertise in negotiating contracts and establishing new supplier relationships required
• Strong critical thinking and presentation skills
• Strong business and financial acumen
• People leadership experience preferred
• Proficient in computer applications, including presentation development, data analysis, information communication, and online research

Zoro's total compensation plan includes our Zoro Incentive Plan (ZIP) that is designed to foster and reward our team members for strong…