Category Manager - Hardlines

Location:

Markham, Ontario

Job Description:

Position:
Category Manager, Hardlines

Type:
Full-Time | Hybrid

Location:

Markham, ON

Reports to:

Director of Merchandising

About Us
Pet Valu is Canada’s leading pet specialty retailer, dedicated to strengthening the bond between dedicated pet lovers and their pets. With 50 years of animal care expertise, we operate over 800 stores across Canada under several banners, including Pet Valu, Bosley’s, Total Pet, Paulmac’s Pet, Tisol & Chico. Guided by our mission to deliver products, care, expertise, and memorable moments, Pet Valu is a place where people build meaningful careers while making a positive impact on pets and communities.

What will you do?
The Category Manager, Hardlines is responsible for managing private label and national brand assortments across assigned hardlines categories, with accountability for driving sales growth, profitability, gross margin, and inventory productivity. The incumbent develops and executes category strategies based on consumer insights, market trends, and store needs, while ensuring a compelling product assortment and strong vendor partnerships. Working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver an exceptional customer experience and achieve business objectives.

Responsibilities:

Develop and execute category strategies for Hardlines and Seasonal categories that align with company objectives, customer needs, and financial targets.

Lead category planning, annual line reviews, and seasonal merchandising programs to drive sales growth, profitability, market share, and customer engagement.

Build and manage compelling assortments of national brands, exclusive products, and private label offerings that differentiate the business and meet evolving customer preferences.

Analyze sales, margin, market, customer trends and needs, and inventory performance data to identify opportunities and risks and adjust strategies accordingly.

Manage category P&L performance, including sales, gross margin, inventory turns, vendor funding, and promotional effectiveness.

Develop pricing, promotional, and assortment strategies that support financial objectives while delivering customer value.

Negotiate product costs, vendor agreements, rebates, promotional funding, and business terms to maximize category profitability.

Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers while identifying opportunities for innovation and exclusive product offerings.

Lead new product introductions, product lifecycle management, assortment optimization, and exit strategies for underperforming products.

Partner closely with Supply Chain to optimize forecasting, replenishment, inventory productivity, and seasonal inventory transitions.

Partner with cross functional teams to evaluate creative effectiveness and translate performance insights into continuous improvements in campaign execution and customer engagement.

Drive omnichannel growth by ensuring assortments and promotional strategies are aligned across retail and digital channels.

Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance category performance, operational efficiency, and the overall customer experience.

Qualifications:

University degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing, Supply Chain, Retail Management, or a related field.

7+ years of progressive experience in Category Management, Merchandising, Purchasing, or Retail Buying.

Demonstrated experience managing Hardlines, Seasonal, General Merchandise, Housewares, Pet Specialty, Mass Retail, Home Improvement, Sporting Goods, or other related product categories.

Proven success developing and executing category strategies that drive sales growth, margin improvement, inventory productivity, and market share gains.

Strong experience leading category reviews,…