Category Specialist

Our client is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Category Specialist to join their Beauty & Personal Care Merchandising team . This position serves as a critical partner to category leadership, 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 merchandising leaders to execute category strategies that support sales growth, margin objectives, and market share expansion. Assist in managing 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. 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. 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. Required Qualifications 2+ years of experience within a consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturer, retail organization, merchandising, buying, category management, or analytical business environment. Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously. Excellent attention to detail and ability to work effectively in a deadline-driven environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience working with large datasets. Ability to collaborate across multiple departments and communicate effectively with various stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications Passion for beauty, cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, or the broader beauty industry. Previous experience supporting merchandising, buying, category management, or retail planning functions. Experience working with product assortments, promotions, planograms, or inventory management. Familiarity with retail analytics, sales reporting, and market trend analysis. This position offers significant exposure to merchandising strategy and leadership within a high-performing retail organization. Compensation: $24 - 30/hr. Exact compensation may vary based on several factors, including skills, experience, and education. #J-18808-Ljbffr