Manager, Category Management

What Category Management contributes to Cardinal Health

Marketing is responsible for assessing customer needs, market conditions and competition to inform business strategy. Marketing implements the strategy through developing, commercializing and monitoring the appropriate products and services.

Category Management is responsible for cross‑functional collaboration that helps to deliver sales, profitability and inventory productivity goals by capitalizing on retail marketplace and shopper trends in designated categories. It manages and optimizes supplier relationships and product portfolio to drive financial results, increase market share and exceed customer expectations.

• Collaborates with cross‑functional teams including pricing, marketing, legal, QRA, planning, inventory management, finance, sales & operations to meet customer expectations and achieve merchandising objectives.
• Owns and optimizes the category assortment planning and planogram review process; initiates, negotiates and drives execution of category promotional plans.
• Maintains positive trade relations and fosters key supplier relationships; assesses opportunities and gains competitive advantage in negotiations.
• Develops and deploys strategic category plans & innovative merchandising programs to deliver industry‑leading results; obtains category/product expertise, in‑depth market and competitive intelligence and knowledge.
• Efficiently assimilates large amounts of information; exhibits strong financial acumen; assesses sales patterns based on SKU data and other sources.
• Responsible for P&L oversight for the entire team, including own categories and categories belonging to direct reports.
• Responsible for developing and driving vision and metrics through the team.

• Drive cross‑functional collaboration to deliver sales, profitability and inventory productivity goals by capitalizing on retail marketplace and shopper trends in designated categories.
• Manage and optimize supplier relationships and product portfolio to drive financial results, increase market share and exceed customer expectations.
• Develop and deploy strategic category plans & innovative merchandising programs to deliver industry‑leading results.
• Own the category assortment planning and planogram review process.
• Initiate, negotiate and drive execution of category promotional plans.
• Maintain positive trade relations and foster key supplier relationships.
• Obtain category/product expertise, in‑depth market and competitive intelligence and knowledge.
• Quickly assess complex situations and determine the most effective path forward with limited guidance.
• Drive collaboration with cross‑functional teams, including pricing, marketing, legal, QRA, planning, inventory management, finance, sales & operations to meet customer expectations and achieve merchandising objectives.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field, or equivalent work experience, preferred.
• Minimum of 1‑4 years of store‑level merchandising and retail background, preferred.
• Experience with market data, consumer research, preferred (e.g., Nielsen/IRI data).
• Working knowledge of category management principles and practices.
• Strong foundation of business fundamentals, performance measurement and business financials.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; can communicate effectively with personnel at all levels.
• Results oriented, strategic thinker who can work in a team environment and independently.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools.
• People management experience, preferred.

• Applies advanced knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles, and technical capabilities to manage a wide variety of projects.
• Participates in the development of policies and procedures to achieve specific goals.
• Recommends new practices, processes, metrics, or models.
• Works on or may lead complex projects of large scope; projects may have significant and long‑term impact.
• Provides solutions which may set precedent.
• Independently determines method for completion of new projects.
• Receives guidance on overall project objectives.
• Acts as a mentor to less experienced colleagues.

• Medical, dental…