Senior Category Manager - Colour Cosmetics - Faces Chalhoub Group

What you'll be doing

Our Category Manager based in the UAE would look after Faces regionally and is responsible for defining and driving the offer and purchasing strategy for different product categories and brands. The Category Manager is also responsible for defining the action plan for the categories, merchandising, promotional activities, prices, and negotiations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop the business plan of the category in line with the strategic objectives of Faces.
• Formulate and communicate the category performance objectives and continuously monitor progress and alignment toward strategic objectives.
• Negotiate annual commercial agreements and the commercialization of advertising spaces with the brands.
• Takes ownership of gross margins & drives an optimal category mix to influence growth.
• Benchmark current performance vs. the competition and the peer market
• Create different tools to improve the categories performance
• Handle the production of the annual calendar for the brands promotions, launches, etc.
• Assess the requirements and coordinate with relevant internal/external stakeholders (Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Suppliers, Category Managers and Logistics)
• Negotiate with suppliers for the stock returns (discontinued and slow movers)
• Analyses and helps interpret trends pertaining to the market, competitors, customers & partners, and uses.
• Assists in building a competitive assortment, keeping in mind market and competition trends
• Focus on core categories and new categories/ brands to work on a holistic assortment.
• Works closely with internal functions like a supply chain for inventory management & managing the buying budget, marketing for the promotional calendar, sales operations for driving key initiatives/novelties and e-commerce team in ensuring that the assortment is in line with offline to drive omnichannel retailing.
• Drives team to maximize additional income for the organization through initiatives like space selling (animation)
• Ensures that the commercial teams drive new launches, new categories or new brands/ initiatives successfully.
• Addresses commercial escalations both internal and external.
• Assortment and Lifecycle Management (depending on defined KPIs)
• Store Profitability
• Listing and De-Listing decisions
• Development, Sourcing, and Implementation of new Assortment Concepts, Trends, and Brands.
• Competitive Benchmarking
• Supplier Management & Negotiations
• Purchasing Meetings and first-order responsibilities
• Limit (OTB) and Inventory (shared responsibility w/ supply chain)
• COOP, JBP Negotiation
• Build and negotiate an activation plan for the Category
• Intersection cross-department to Marketing, E-Com, Finance, Logistics, Retail Teams
• Ongoing feedback and exchange with the Retail Team

What you ll need to succeed

• A minimum of 5 years in a commercial role within the retail sector or a leadership role within category management.
• Demonstrated expertise in P&L management, showcasing the ability to drive financial performance and operational efficiency.
• Offline Beauty Retail category management experience is a must, however online experience is a plus.
• Adaptable and passionate about colour cosmetics market trends and brands.
• Proficiency in managing stakeholders and fostering partnerships, with a track record of successful business development.