Company: Shoppers Drug Mart
Location: Toronto, ON
Expected salary:
Job date: Wed, 28 May 2025 07:37:24 GMT
Job description: Location: 243 Consumers Road, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 4W8At Shoppers Drug Mart, we’re innovating health and wellness in Canada. From prescriptions to walk-in clinics, and a beloved loyalty program, we’re caring and supporting our customers in new ways every day.
With more than 1,300 locally owned and operated stores from coast to coast, the Shoppers Drug Mart network is more than a great place to shop, it’s a great place to work. We’re committed to building our talented team who champion collaboration, kindness and inclusivity. Join our team, and help recognize a healthy future for your career and for all Canadians.Why this role is important?Category Management is at the heart of all we do. A strategic part of our organization, Category Management at Shoppers drives our front store business with innovative house brands, unique marketing opportunities, powerful supplier relationships, and exclusive brands. You will apply entrepreneurial, consulting, management and analytical skills on a daily basis, while executing and delivering real outcomes that drive the bottom line.We are execution and results focused, and reward our people with a chance to learn, try new things, take more responsibility and get things done.Shoppers Drug Mart is one of the most recognized and trusted names in Canadian retailing, with over 1,200 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores in each province and three territories. We are one of the most convenient retailers in Canada, proudly serving Canadians who believe being healthy means looking and feeling good.What You’ll Do:
- Meets with existing and potential vendors to maintain a current knowledge of new product offerings and promotions, assess category performance and growth relative to SDM and competitors, refine current strategies and develop and implement additional strategies to attract and motivate customer purchases, realize maximum profitability, grow market share, and increase customer loyalty.
- Monitors product mix listing to ensure timely acquisition of products, appropriate replenishment, suggest changes in purchasing and provide solutions to minimize the impact of backorders.
- Negotiates with vendors to secure cost effective acquisition costs, unique and competitive promotional opportunities including first to market initiatives and exclusive listings, in addition to securing revenue funding for SDM marketing initiatives (i.e. Optimum, Flyers, Special value) and inside programs.
- Reviews and monitors listing and product changes to ensure accurate and timely processing, protect the integrity of all product related data and ensure all administrative requirements are completed and processed as required.
- Negotiates, schedules and implements timely promotional events to build consumer awareness and generate sales.
- Manages and monitors funds in/out accounts to ensure the revenue and spend accounts balance and accurately reflect the results of the category.
- Liaises with the Planogram team to develop and publish annual updates for all plan-o-grams to ensure the item assortment and shelf presentation remains current and best reflects the anticipated market trends.
- Work with various stakeholders including our social, marketing and digital teams to ensure an omni-channel experience for our customer
- Oversees workloads and provides staff supervision to ensure that work is done accurately, efficiently and complies with policies, procedures and standards as well as best working practices.
- Provides guidance, motivation, and performance review including hiring and terminating employees, to maintain and enhance competency levels, identify future training requirements and achieve goals to increase performance.
- Direct report – one Category Assistant
What You’ll Need:This position requires an advanced level of initiative and judgment in order to organize and prioritize tasks, workload and projects. Courtesy, tact and diplomacy are required in dealing with colleagues in every day working relationships.
- Strong category management expertise, ideally in prestige beauty, skincare, haircare or cosmetics
- Ability to develop and execute long-term category strategies that align with both vendor and corporate goals
- Ability to interpret data and use insights to drive category performance and innovation
- Proven track record of sales, market share and gross margin growth
- Experience with assortment planning, pricing strategies, and promotional optimization
- Deep understanding of retail trends, especially in prestige beauty and consumer behavior
- Experience with joint business planning, co-op marketing, and collaborative innovation
- Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams including merchandising, marketing, operations, supply chain, and digital
- Adaptable to set and prioritize work with varying exceptions. Able to work with diverse personalities and styles.
- Advanced negotiation, persuasive and communication skills to secure favourable category plans.
- Advanced understanding of quality standards relative to merchandising, marketing and promotional practices and procedures.
- Computer skills to produce effective reports, documents and presentations.
- Communicates with clarity, verbally and in one on one or group situations, or over the telephone.
- Post secondary education equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in Retail, Marketing, Merchandising or equivalent.
- 7+ years in category management, merchandising, or brand management in retail or CPG
- Experience in prestige beauty highly valued
Why now?We are currently investing in our teams at Central office, to provide the best support to our Stores and their teams.For the buyers and merchants on our Category Manager team, that is taking the form of new initiatives to improve workflow, and promotions optimization. We are also developing Category Strategy, a planned Centre of Excellence to help deliver a test environment for categories, while continuing to provide measurement and analysis support to help you deliver the best outcomes for your category.Joining our Category Management team now means you are able to help set the tone, and add your voice to the new initiatives, plans and workflows being built.And on top of that, every year, Shoppers Drug Mart employees at Central office, and in the stores of our Associate Owners, contribute more time, money and effort to great charitable causes across Canada.Why work at Shoppers Drug Mart?Acting as consultants, supporting internal customers and the Associate-Owners, you will get experience unique to the retail industry while working for an award-winning national brand. Benefit from a purchase discount program, competitive pay and online learning through Academy.Take ownership of your work and find more ways to care about your work, co-workers, customers and community.How You’ll Succeed:At Shoppers Drug Mart Inc., we seek great people to continually strengthen our culture. We believe great people model our values, are authentic, build trust and make connections.If that sounds like you, and you are open-minded, responsive to change and up to the challenges provided in a fast-paced retail environment, apply today.Employment Type: Full timeType of Role: RegularShoppers Drug Mart Inc. recognizes Canada’s diversity as a source of national pride and strength. We have made it a priority to reflect our nation’s evolving diversity in the products we sell, the people we hire, and the culture we create in our organization. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired.In addition, we believe that compliance with laws is about doing the right thing. Upholding the law is part of our Code of Conduct – it reinforces what our customers and stakeholders expect of us.Please Note: If you have Employee Self Service (ESS) on Workday, apply to this job via the Workday application.#EN #SS #MERCH #ON
Summary:
Shoppers Drug Mart, located at 243 Consumers Road, Toronto, is advancing health and wellness in Canada through a variety of services, including prescriptions and walk-in clinics. With over 1,300 stores nationwide, they focus on building a collaborative and inclusive workforce.
The Category Management role is essential to drive sales and customer loyalty through innovative brand strategies and effective vendor negotiations. Responsibilities include monitoring product performance, ensuring timely product listings, managing promotional events, and leading a small team.
Candidates need extensive experience in category management, ideally in prestige beauty, alongside strong analytical, negotiation, and leadership skills. A Bachelor’s degree and over seven years of relevant experience are preferred.
Shoppers Drug Mart promotes diversity and offers competitive pay, learning opportunities, and a commitment to community involvement. The company is currently investing in its workforce to enhance team support and retail strategies. Applicants are encouraged to apply if they resonate with the company’s values of authenticity and trust.
