The Category Head-Private Brands will be responsible for developing and owning the strategy for the Private brands portfolio, and working with a high-performing vendor management/instock management team. Within this role, the individual will have the opportunity to establish and maintain product-sourcing capability, strong vendor partnerships, manage category profitability, optimize pricing, and identify means to improve the customer experience. We are seeking a seasoned business leader with a broad skill set which demonstrates analytical horsepower, excellent business judgment, strong vendor management and negotiations skills, and deep curiosity to uncover how things work. An end-to-end understanding of Private Labels ecosystem, from product development to selling online will further drive the candidate and business success.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Category Head-Private Brands is responsible for sourcing, pricing, managing inputs, category financials, promotion management, auditing and analysis, vendor escalations and concise communications for the Private brands in the portfolio
  • Dive Deep into inputs and understands the downstream impact of changes to pricing, selection, and convenience for multiple subcategories
  • Owns the Retail P & L for multiple subcategories; develops plans that drive revenue and margin improvement
  • Creates strategic and prioritized vendor business plan that maximizes margins and customer experience
• He/She is responsible for growing selection, improving terms and cost structures, and building long-term relationships with vendors for the sub-categories assigned
  • Focuses on strategic holdout or challenging vendors to increase selection
  • Drives strategic negotiations to deliver top- and bottom-line category growth for sub-categories
  • Creates opportunities for growth, and customer acquisition for multiple sub-categories
• He/She is expected to demonstrate customer and category knowledge, be an advocate for a quality customer experience, and understand the competition and industry
• He/She is responsible for long-term growth opportunities and risk identification, planning, communication, and partnering with internal teams
• He/She is expected to demonstrate a deep understanding of Retail tools and become an advocate for tool enhancements
• He/She is responsible for attracting talent and making the right hiring decision, setting goals and resource planning for the team
  • Create mechanisms to help onboard new talent to the organization by continuously building a network of talent inside and outside of the company.
  • Effectively coach and give feedback to direct reports to help develop talent and support career development
  • Set and balance goals across the team to optimize performance against department goals and employee development

Job Specifications

Education

• MBA from Tier 1 institutes

Experience

• 10+ years of experience doing one of several roles: retail buying, retail planning & allocation, product/project management, pricing, marketing, or e-commerce.
• Experience in creating and handling private labels in online/offline space is a must-have
• 4+ years of team handling experience
• Proficiency in Excel, Proven analytical skills, and highly data-driven
• Proven Negotiation Skills
• Proven experience leading teams & cross-functional projects
• Influencing abilities and vendor management experience
• Ability to think and react in a high-energy, fast-paced environment
• Ability to operate simultaneously and effectively in both tactical and strategic modes
• A willingness to roll up sleeves to get things done
• Experience of having worked in a start-up in the Direct-to-consumer(D2C) space will be beneficial
• The position requires an individual who can work autonomously in a demanding and often ambiguous environment, with strong attention to detail and effective prioritization