Assistant Category Manager

The Assistant Category Manager supports the Category Manager in developing, executing, and maintaining product category strategies that drive sales, profitability, inventory productivity, and customer value for Auto Zone. This entry-level position assists with assortment planning, business analysis, pricing and promotional activities, supplier coordination, product setup, inventory monitoring, and cross-functional execution. The Assistant Category Manager gathers and interprets business information, maintains accurate category data and documentation, prepares reports and presentations, and recommends actions based on identifiable trends.

Working within established strategies and processes, this position completes assigned responsibilities independently, makes decisions within a defined scope, and escalates significant risks or complex issues to the Category Manager. This role provides practical experience across the category management function and is intended to build the financial, analytical, merchandising, supplier-management, and leadership capabilities needed for future career growth.

The Assistant Category Manager Is Expected To Learn Auto Zone's Merchandising Processes, Systems, Suppliers, And Category Management Fundamentals While Providing Analytical, Operational, And Administrative Support To The Category Manager. At Time Of Hire The Key Responsibilities Are As Follows:

• Maintain product, pricing, supplier, assortment, and promotional data within merchandising systems.
• Complete item setup, SKU maintenance, and product information updates.
• Maintain assortment files, category documentation, calendars, trackers, and project records.
• Coordinate product samples, meeting materials, and presentation support.
• Assist with advertising, promotional, and category execution tasks to ensure accuracy and timeliness.

• Prepare routine sales, margin, inventory, pricing, and promotional reports.
• Monitor category performance and identify basic trends or variances.
• Compile seasonal, monthly, and quarterly business recaps.
• Gather market, competitive, and product information for category reviews.
• Validate data accuracy and help identify reporting discrepancies.

• Coordinate supplier communications regarding item information, images, specifications, costs, samples, and product updates.
• Track supplier shipments and communicate delivery issues to internal stakeholders.
• Support supplier meeting preparation and maintain follow-up documentation.
• Assist in collecting information for assortment and product decisions.

• Coordinate with inventory management, pricing, supply chain, marketing, digital, and store operations teams to support execution of approved category plans.
• Communicate approved assortment, pricing, promotional, and product updates to stakeholders.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings and project activities.

• Learn category financial concepts including sales, margin, inventory productivity, and inventory turns.
• Develop a working knowledge of Auto Zone product categories, customers, competitors, and suppliers.
• Demonstrate curiosity, continuous learning, and increasing independence in assigned work.

• Recommend assortment additions, deletions, and product changes based on sales performance and market trends.
• Contribute to seasonal assortment reviews and product line evaluations.
• Support development of pricing and promotional recommendations.
• Assist in identifying category growth opportunities and emerging trends.
• Prepare business cases and recommendations for Category Manager review.

• Conduct deeper analysis of sales, margin, inventory, supplier, and customer-performance data.
• Identify root causes of business performance issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor category performance against financial plans and key business objectives.
• Evaluate promotional effectiveness and product performance trends.

• Serve as a day-to-day contact for assigned suppliers.
• Participate in supplier reviews and product line presentations.
• Assist with supplier negotiations by gathering cost, pricing, competitive, and performance information.
• Support supplier performance tracking and issue resolution efforts.

• Lead selected category projects with guidance from the Category Manager.
• Manage implementation of…