Category Manager, Automotive & Powersports Performance
Department: Merchandising
Reports to: Director of Merchandising
Location: In person, Long Beach, CAEmployment type - Full-time, exempt
The Category Manager, Automotive & Powersports Performance owns the P&L for the performance parts category on our e-commerce platform. This covers exhaust, intake, suspension and lift kits, performance lighting, engine and drivetrain performance, and exterior and interior upgrades. You will set assortment, pricing, and vendor strategy to grow revenue and margin, working with marketing, pricing, supply chain, catalog, and analytics teams. The role suits someone who knows the enthusiast customer and makes decisions from data. This is an in-person role based in our Long Beach, CA office. Note on powersports: This role will also help build our new powersports category (e.g., ATV/UTV, motorcycle, and side-by-side parts and accessories), including brand selection, assortment, and vendor onboarding as the category launches.
Key Responsibilities:
Category Strategy and P&LOwn category revenue, gross margin, and contribution margin targets; build the annual category plan and quarterly forecasts. Track market trends, enthusiast segments (truck/off-road, Jeep, sport compact, muscle, Euro), and emerging vehicle platforms to set priorities. Run weekly business reviews on sales, conversion, margin, and inventory, and act on what they show. Track product returns and defect rates by brand and SKU, and work with vendors on root-cause fixes.
Assortment and Product:
Build and maintain the brand and SKU assortment; find gaps by vehicle platform, brand, and price tier.
Onboard new brands and product lines, and retire underperforming SKUs.
Work with catalog teams to keep fitment (ACES/PIES), content, images, and attributes accurate and complete.
Assess regulatory exposure (CARB/EPA emissions, DOT/SAE lighting) and keep compliance flags and state restrictions correct.
Vendor Management:
Manage relationships with performance brands, manufacturers, and warehouse distributors.
Negotiate cost, programs, co-op and MDF funding, rebates, drop-ship terms, and MAP/UMAP compliance.
Run regular vendor reviews with scorecards covering fill rate, lead time, data quality, and returns.
Pricing and Promotion:
Set pricing strategy with the pricing team, balancing MAP policy, competitive position, and margin goals. Plan the annual promotion calendar for the performance segment with the marketing team, built around key events (SEMA, Black Friday/Cyber Monday, spring and summer build season).Measure promotion ROI and adjust future plans.
Cross-Functional Work:
Partner with marketing on site merchandising, search (SEO and paid), email, and social content aimed at enthusiasts.
Work with supply chain on stocking decisions, inventory depth, and drop-ship versus stocked mix.
Work with site and search teams to improve category navigation, filters, and on-site search relevance.
Keep an eye on competitors, marketplaces, and customer reviews to find opportunities.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, supply chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience.2+ years in category management, merchandising, buying, or product management, preferably in automotive aftermarket or performance parts.
Proven ownership of a category P&L with measurable revenue and margin growth.
Hands-on vendor negotiation experience covering cost, terms, and marketing funds.
Strong analytical skills, including writing SQL and working in Databricks, plus advanced Excel (pivots, lookups, modeling) and comfort with BI tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Looker.
Working knowledge of aftermarket fitment data (ACES/PIES) and MAP policies.
Clear written and verbal communication, and the ability to present recommendations to leadership and vendors.
Ability to travel up to 10–15% for vendor visits and industry events such as SEMA and AAPEX.
Preferred Qualifications:
E-commerce or digital retail experience in a high-SKU catalog environment.
Experience building Databricks dashboards or automated reporting.
Existing relationships with major performance brands and distributors (e.g., Keystone, Meyer, Turn 14).Knowledge of emissions compliance (CARB EO numbers, EPA rules) and lighting regulations.
Enthusiast background: builds, modifies, or races vehicles, or is active in the enthusiast community.
Experience with marketplace channels (Amazon, eBay Motors, Walmart).Success Metrics
Area: KPIGrowth - Category revenue vs. plan; year-over-year growth
Profitability - Gross margin %, contribution margin, vendor funding captured Assortment - New SKUs and brands launched; fitment and content coverage Site performance - Conversion rate, average order value, search-to-purchase rate Inventory - In-stock rate, inventory turns, aged inventory Vendors - Fill rate, on-time shipping, return and defect rate A reasonable salary estimate for this role based on education, experience, and geographic location is $100,000-$120,000.Equal Opportunity Employer CarParts.com is an equal-opportunity employer. We enthusiastically accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws and ordinances. Our management is dedicated to ensuring that we fulfill this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment. The above-noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the incumbent a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.
