Category Manager - Fitness

Job description / Role

• Drive sales from the assigned brand/category by developing comprehensive business plans
• Studies trends from historical data around brand/category sales and market research to assist in the overall planning process
• Manages consumer mapping, and is responsible for brand/category consumer segmentation and differentiation
• Ensures optimum utilization of customer research information to guide brand/category management decisions, including decisions on the introduction of new products, product assortment, promotion and pricing of products in the store
• Collaborates with Retail operations to understand consumer trends, sales figures, etc. to further formulate the business plan for the brand/category
• Ensures access to market intelligence through various sources on competition pricing and business and analysis of trends which may impact the Business Unit
• Monitors and analyses business performance by brand/category sales, sell-out, gross margin and turnover and translates insights into key selling points, or category opportunities
• Manages and tracks brand/category sales planning and forecasting processes
• Ensures effective ‘in season’ management for the given brand/category of products (stock balancing, markdown management, stock analysis, stock vs sales performance).
• Leads and oversees the buying requirements and formulates buying plan and budget for the brand/category and ensures proper monitoring of orders based on the buying plan and follow-ups on merchandise delivery as per the plan
• Manages the relationship and liaises with principals/supplies on matters relating to price negotiations, product launches, marketing campaigns, forthcoming offerings and events
• Coordinates regular meetings with Area Managers/Store Managers to share insights arising from market dynamics and brand/category performance
• Collaborates with the visual merchandising function to provide brand/category guidelines and implementations of the same in all retail outlets
• Collaborates with the retail marketing function, to ensure maximum visibility of their category through retail marketing
• Analyses sales related data for products within the brand/category portfolio and provides insights into enhancing potential sales opportunities
• Works with the Human Resource department to coordinate training related to products and customer service, to ensure personnel knowledge of key product features and benefits across the stores

Requirements

• Candidate with Category Management experience of Fitness Equipment and brands.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management/ Marketing or equivalent
• Master’s degree in Buying and Merchandising
• A minimum of 5 - 7 years of relevant experience with at least 4 years in managing brand/category of products

About the Company

Established in 1978, by the Baker family who still own and manage the company today, Gulf Marketing Group is one of the Middle East's leading, family owned companies. Gulf Marketing Group operates regionally, across the GCC and boasts a diverse portfolio of brands, retail outlets and services. Gulf Marketing Group subsidiaries operate in key sectors such as retail and distribution of sporting goods and lifestyle brands, health and fitness, food and food processing, integrated 3PL logistics, real estate, healthcare and pharmacies, education and technology. Since 1978, Gulf Marketing Group has introduced more than 90 international brands into the Middle East, as well as building the reputation of our homegrown brands as reliable and quality driven companies.

We are proud to be one of the top 10 retailers in the Gulf region with:

• More than three decades experience managing international brands in local environments
• A prestigious portfolio of world class brand partners
• Anchor tenancy in all major GCC shopping malls
• A proven track record of securing exclusive retail and distributor agreements
• An experienced management team
• Strong customer relationships