Category Manager

Category Manager role at Leslie's. The Category Manager is responsible for driving financial performance, strategic category growth, and operational excellence within a defined product segment across all sales channels—including brick-and-mortar retail, proprietary eCommerce, and third-party marketplaces. This role reports directly to a Category Director and acts as the day-to-day business owner for select categories and vendor relationships, with accountability for gross margin performance, product lifecycle management, and channel differentiation strategies.

This role requires a deep understanding of consumer behavior, retail economics, and cross-functional collaboration to bring compelling assortments to market and execute efficiently. The Category Manager will serve as a bridge between analytics, operations, and strategic planning — managing both short-term execution and long-term growth levers.

• Develop and execute the category’s long-term growth strategy, including channel-specific product, pricing, and promotional plans.
• Analyze and manage category profitability down to dead net profit, incorporating costs such as returns, freight, rebates, and shrink.
• Make data-driven decisions on assortment planning, pricing tiers, and promotional cadence by channel, leveraging deep knowledge of customer behavior and channel dynamics.
• Lead new product launches, from concept and vendor negotiation through commercialization and post-launch performance tracking.
• Serve as the primary contact for a defined set of vendors; negotiate cost, payment terms, funding, and exclusivity arrangements to support strategic initiatives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to optimize inventory turns, minimize days of inventory on hand (DOH), and reduce scrap and return rates.
• Optimize days payable outstanding (DPO) through vendor negotiations and alignment with company working capital goals.
• Develop and present clear, actionable consumer insights based on POS data, margin trends, and competitive benchmarks.
• Own and manage the full product lifecycle—introduction, maintenance, rationalization, and exit planning—to maintain a relevant and productive assortment.
• Drive financial accountability by tracking and reporting sales, margin, and inventory KPIs; recommend actions to improve underperforming areas.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Planning, eCommerce, Store Operations, and Supply Chain to ensure aligned execution and seamless customer experience.
• Solicit and secure vendor funding for in-store promotions, digital advertising, and other growth-driving programs.
• Monitor and respond to competitive activity; recommend adjustments to pricing, assortment, or positioning as needed.
• Champion brand integrity and customer trust through thoughtful product selection and vendor alignment.
• Demonstrate a high level of autonomy in day-to-day category management while aligning major decisions with the Category Director’s broader strategic vision.
• Display strong business acumen with the ability to synthesize financial, operational, and market data into actionable strategies.
• Serve as a mentor or informal leader to junior team members, supporting their development and project execution.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Merchandising, Economics, or a related field, or comparable work experience; MBA or advanced degree a plus.
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in merchandising, category management, or retail buying—preferably in a multi-channel retail environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a category P&L, including responsibility for pricing, gross margin, inventory productivity, and vendor funding.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience with dead net profit analysis, cost structures, and working capital levers like DPO and DOH.
• Proven success in managing cross-channel strategies, including eCommerce, brick & mortar, and/or marketplaces.
• Experience leading new product introductions and managing full product life cycles from concept to exit.
• Strong vendor management and negotiation skills, including the ability to secure extended payment terms and promotional support.
• High proficiency…