Currently, the profession of category manager is gaining great popularity. This position is quite common in large companies. Today we will talk about the main features of this profession and the history of its appearance.
Features
Category manager must manage the product range in large stores to maximize sales. The employee holding this position is directly involved in the procurement, storage of goods, as well as in merchandising and sales. Such a manager must be well versed in logistics, economics and marketing.
This post has exactly that name, since the store’s products are managed in certain categories (groups of similar products).
All products that fall into the same category, as a rule, have the same conditions of transportation and storage. The entire range may consist of interconnected or interchangeable goods. This profession implies multifunctionality, the ability to make quick independent decisions. Commodity circulation and income earned are largely dependent on such an employee.
This unusual and heterogeneous position involves a fairly wide range of powers and tasks. She is considered a prestigious trade profession and is characterized by a high level of wages. The profession of category manager assumes good career prospects.Experts with experience can become successful leaders in various trading organizations. Often later, they also become brand managers or even owners of their own business.
But remember that this position is considered quite difficult because of its versatility. It assumes a high level of employee responsibility and is highly dependent on the state of the market for goods in this category. The category manager position occupies a high place in the overall hierarchy of employees within the company, therefore their share in the open market today is relatively small.
As a rule, this workplace in large firms is occupied by specialists selected from existing personnel. Currently, only a few companies attract external specialists.
Appearance story
Work related to category management first appeared in the United States in the early 90s of the last century. The founder of a new profession is Brian Harris. He proposed to manage certain categories of goods, perceive them as separate units in the market. The theory developed by Harris quickly gained great popularity, as it helped in a short time to significantly increase production efficiency. Such an economic strategy has become an excellent retail option.
Harris believed that managing a certain category was much easier than working with a product line item. In Russia, the specialty of category manager is still underdeveloped and widespread. But with the constant growth of competition in the commodity market, this profession is beginning to gain more and more popularity.
Job responsibilities
The competency of a category manager includes several important functions.
- Procurement and subsequent stock control. This function involves working with suppliers of products, monitoring the shelf life of products.
- Pricing control. The category manager should make forecasts of the assortment sales rate, as well as monitor product margins.
- Sales promotion. This function includes the launch of advertising, promotions, sales.
- Assortment formation. The manager should carefully study consumer demand for this category, analyze the range of competitors, calculate profit from sales.
In addition to these main tasks, the category manager should also coordinate the work of all merchandisers and forwarders, look for suppliers with the most favorable conditions and establish contacts with regular suppliers. In addition, such a production specialist is obliged to approve marketing plans and projects for the quickest possible sale of the assortment, to analyze the profit of goods individually and the entire category as a whole. Such a specialist can develop wholesale and retail price lists, organize storage and delivery of products. His competence also includes planning the quantity of goods for sale and for deliveries. However, this employee is not responsible for the correctness of the pricing process and for the formation of the balance. The specialist only indicates the most favorable prices for the product range. Its design is the responsibility of other employees.
The tasks facing the category manager can be divided into two large groups:
- the implementation of the planned turnover and profit;
- organization of all necessary supplies of goods and establishment of relations with suppliers.
Requirements
To take the position of category manager, you must meet a number of mandatory requirements. Among them can be distinguished the availability of higher education (in specialties related to economics, marketing or management). Incomplete higher education is sometimes allowed. Besides, the specialist must know the PC well. First of all, this concerns the 1C program. He is also required to have a good knowledge of the features of the products being promoted. Often, employers designate a prerequisite experience in the field of procurement and sales.
Employers can set additional desirable conditions for specialists. So, many require knowledge of English (both written and spoken), knowledge of a foreign language is most often required in companies that actively cooperate with companies in other countries. Knowledge of financial accounting and commodity science is also welcome.
Qualities, skills and knowledge
If you want to get the position of a category manager, then you must have such necessary qualities as creativity and emotional poise. In addition, such a specialist should have an analytical mindset and have the desire to achieve their goals. Sociability, goodwill, good knowledge of business etiquette are also important for such an employee.
For the work of such a manager, good knowledge in the field of procurement is also important, as well as about a specific group of goods, including their shelf life, storage and transportation requirements, and appearance.
Place of work
Such specialists can work in trading companies and network firms (wholesale and retail plan), in the supply departments at manufacturing enterprises.
How can I become a category manager?
Before taking this position in a large company, it is necessary to undergo training in higher educational institutions at the faculties of economics, management or marketing and to know well the basic principles and mechanisms of the functioning of the goods market. Each specialist must learn to understand how purchases are made from suppliers and how inventory control is done. The employee must learn the special rules for placing goods in the store.
If you are going to work with foreign trading companies, then you definitely need to get knowledge on the basis of foreign trade activities (foreign economic activity), as well as good command of a foreign language. Most employers prefer individuals who previously passed special courses, preferably an MBA degree (Master of Business Administration). The most common and demanded in this area are courses related to the basics of merchandising and sales promotion, competitive management of categories in the retail sector and more.
It is also possible to take separate courses on financial analysis and, of course, commodity science. Knowledge regarding advertising is also desirable. In some cases, specialists already working at large enterprises in the field of trade may be trained in this new profession. Many employers note that employees show good results in six months.
Many employers note that the resume of a person who wants to get a job as a category manager should reflect all the qualities necessary for this specialty. At the same time, an employee may not have work experience in the field of trade, but possess ambitiousness, the ability to analyze the financial situation and the market as a whole, quickly make the necessary decisions, and have business acumen.
