Category Manager

This role goes beyond procurement. You will act as the Business Owner for Staples?driving assortment strategy, vendor partnerships, pricing, monetization, availability, and P&L performance. You will work closely with sourcing, supply chain, marketing, and store operations teams to ensure the category delivers strong growth, margins, and customer value. Requirements Roles & Responsibilities 1. Category P&L Ownership

• Own revenue, margins, and profitability for staples
• Drive higher gross margins vs branded benchmarks
• Optimize mix between private label and branded SKUs

• Identify and onboard manufacturers, millers, and contract partners
• Negotiate cost structures, TOTs, and long-term supply agreements
• Build a reliable, cost-efficient sourcing network with consistent quality

• Define product specifications (quality, grading, packaging)
• Work with vendors to develop differentiated SKUs tailored for Bharat consumers
• Ensure strict quality control and consistency across batches

• Design pricing strategies that deliver clear value vs branded alternatives
• Track commodity price movements and adjust pricing dynamically
• Balance margin expansion with price competitiveness

• Build a focused, high-velocity assortment for staples
• Drive in-store visibility for staples
• Design merchandising and bundling strategies to improve adoption

• Forecast demand and ensure high fill rates across stores
• Work with supply chain teams to maintain optimal inventory levels
• Scale successful SKUs across regions and formats

• Drive brand penetration within the staples category
• Work with marketing and ops teams on in-store and app-led interventions
• Track repeat purchase, customer feedback, and product performance

• Track key metrics:
• Gross margin %
• Staples share in category
• Sell-through and inventory turns
• Repeat purchase rates
• Identify underperforming SKUs and drive exit or improvement plan

• 3 - 6 years in staples procurement, commodity trading, or category management
• Strong experience in oil, grains, spices, pulses, or similar staples categories
• Experience working with manufacturers / contract production
• Strong commercial and P&L mindset
• Deep understanding of commodity cycles and cost structures
• Ability to balance cost, quality, and consumer value
• Structured thinker with strong execution ability
• High ownership and bias for action

Must-have skills Category Management, Staples Good-to-have skills Rice, Pulses, Edible Oil