Category Manager - General Merchandise
About the Role
As a Category Manager - General Merchandise you will play a critical role in curating and buying the right assortment for GM categories (Home, Kitchen and Stationery), and have experience in handling unbranded goods and working with manufacturers directly. This role is perfect for someone who is hands-on, commercially sharp, and passionate about building strong supplier relationships to deliver value-driven assortments for small-town consumers, and who has expertise in zero-based costing.
Roles & Responsibilities
A. Buying, Sourcing & Supplier Management
Drive end-to-end buying for GM categories—identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers/manufacturers.
Build strong vendor partnerships and negotiate margins, prices, TOTs, and payment terms to unlock the best deals.
Expand and refine supplier base to improve cost competitiveness, quality, and assortment depth.
Conduct regular vendor reviews on performance, supply reliability, and commercial outcomes.
B. Assortment Building & Pricing
Curate region-specific assortments aligned to consumer needs, seasonality, and value perception.
Benchmark market prices (offline/online) and maintain competitive pricing ladders across sub-categories.
Identify assortment gaps, new trends, and product opportunities based on store feedback and competition analysis.
C. Purchase Planning & Inventory Management
Align with supply chain on replenishment plans to maintain stock health and minimize out-of-stock instances.
Plan buys based on demand forecasts, historical sales, and store patterns.
Manage ageing inventory, drive SKU rationalization, and create exit plans for slow movers.
D. Merchandising Support & Execution
Partner with store teams to ensure right planograms, visibility standards, and product placement.
Support promotional planning through vendor-funded schemes and category offers.
Coordinate with catalogue teams to ensure accuracy of product details, pricing, and image hygiene.
E. Market Understanding & Competitive Insights
Conduct regular market visits to identify new suppliers, understand local consumer preferences, and benchmark competition.
Track trends in home & kitchen, plastics, utilities, and household categories to drive innovation.
Share insights proactively to improve assortment relevance and commercial outcomes.
What we are looking for?
4–5 years of experience in Buying, Sourcing, or Category Management in FMCG/General Merchandise or modern retail.
Strong vendor network across key GM segments: plastics, home & kitchen, cleaning tools, utilities, stationery, etc.
Proven negotiation skills and experience handling commercial discussions.
Strong understanding of pricing, purchase planning, and cost-efficiency levers.
Analytical mindset with comfort using Excel and sales data for decision-making.
Hands-on execution attitude with the ability to work closely with suppliers and store teams.
Strong ownership, agility, and willingness to travel for supplier and market visits.