Category Specialist Our client, a Fortune 500 healthcare and retail organization, is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Category Specialist to join their Cosmetic Merchandising team. This position serves as a critical partner to the Director of Cosmetics and Category Managers, helping drive category growth, support merchandising strategies, and ensure the successful execution of product assortments, promotions, planograms, and in-store merchandising initiatives. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build a long-term career in merchandising, category management, or retail buying. The individual in this role will gain exposure to category strategy, vendor partnerships, product lifecycle management, and retail analytics, creating a clear path toward future Category Manager and leadership opportunities.
Key Responsibilities
Category & Merchandising Support:
Partner closely with the Director of Cosmetics and Category Managers to execute category strategies that support sales growth, margin objectives, and market share expansion.
Assist in managing cosmetic product assortments across multiple brands and categories, ensuring products align with customer demand and business objectives.
Support the development and maintenance of planograms, product placement strategies, shelf allocation decisions, and visual merchandising initiatives.
Coordinate the introduction of new products, product transitions, and item discontinuations across stores.
Monitor category performance and identify opportunities for assortment optimization and sales improvement.
Promotional & Marketing Execution:
Support the planning and execution of promotional events, seasonal product launches, and marketing campaigns.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure promotional materials, displays, and signage are accurately executed in stores.
Track promotion performance and assist with post-promotion analysis to identify successes and opportunities for improvement.
Ensure pricing accuracy and promotional compliance across products and locations.
Vendor & Cross-Functional Coordination:
Serve as a liaison between merchandising, inventory planning, supply chain, marketing, store operations, and external vendor partners.
Assist with vendor communications, product information gathering, and promotional planning activities.
Coordinate timelines and deliverables to ensure projects remain on schedule and meet launch deadlines.
Support preparation for vendor meetings by organizing sales data, category insights, and assortment recommendations.
Reporting & Analytics:
Utilize data and reporting tools to analyze product performance, sales trends, inventory levels, and market opportunities.
Create and maintain reports that provide visibility into category health, promotional effectiveness, and product performance.
Identify trends and insights that can help drive strategic merchandising decisions.
Support forecasting, budgeting, and financial planning activities for the cosmetics business.
Operational Support:
Maintain product information, item setup, pricing details, and merchandising documentation.
Ensure accuracy of category databases, reports, and internal systems.
Troubleshoot day-to-day issues related to products, inventory, promotions, and store execution.
Manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced retail environment while maintaining strong attention to detail.
Career Growth Opportunity This position offers significant exposure to merchandising strategy and leadership within a high-performing retail organization. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to develop into a Category Manager, taking ownership of product categories, vendor relationships, promotional strategies, and long-term business planning before progressing into broader merchandising leadership roles.
Compensation:
$24-$30/hr. Exact compensation is negotiable and may vary based on several factors, including skills, experience, location, and education. Benefit packages for this role will start on day one of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401K retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.
