Referred applicants must not apply directly to this role. All referred applicants must use their unique referral link generated when they are referred by an existing colleague.

Location:

243 Consumers Road, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 4W8

At 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?

As part of the Shoppers Drug Mart organization, Category Management is at the heart of all we do. A strategic part of our organization, Category Management at Wellwise drives our store business with innovative products, unique marketing opportunities, and powerful supplier relationships.  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.

What You'll Do:

• Drives innovation through negotiation with new and current vendors to explore revenue opportunities, secure lowest costs, exclusivity, first-to-market opportunities and new merchandise concepts.
• Develops and monitors category strategies and performance to achieve sales and gross margin targets and makes adjustments as necessary.  
• Meets with existing and potential vendors to maintain current knowledge of new product offerings and promotions, assess category performance and growth, 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.
• Manages and negotiates the annual planning process with each supplier to build a comprehensive category plan and achieve overall category targets.
• Develops annual planogram updates to ensure the item assortment and shelf presentation remains current and best reflects the anticipated market trends.
• Develops, negotiates and activates promotional programs to maximize total top line sales and profit potential while projecting the right price image and product assortment, maximizing consumer draw cross sell and impulse buy.
• Negotiates and secures revenue funding for marketing initiatives (i.e. Flyers) and inside programs.
• 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 and maximizes sales and inventory turns.
• 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.
• Manages and monitors funds in/out accounts to ensure the revenue and spend accounts balance and accurately reflect the results of the category.
• Develops and implements standardized planograms and new store order templates to improve store merchandising systems.
• Analyzes key financial and operational metrics to determine the success of individual programs and products and identifying potential issues, opportunities and improvements.
• Review weekly, period and YTD sales and margin reports and completes ongoing analysis and quarterly reviews to maximize category opportunities
• Conducts store visits and competitive stores to gain learnings on category assortments and sales
• Oversees workloads and provides guidance to Category Assistant 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.

What You'll Need:

• Post-secondary education equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in Retail, Marketing, Merchandising or related field.
• Greater than 5 years of category management, retail or merchandising experience. Marketing experience is a plus.
• 1-2 years of management experience

Competencies: 

• 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.  
• Advanced negotiation, persuasive and communication skills to secure favorable category plans.
• Self-motivated and demonstrated initiative.
• Able to work and excel in a fast-paced work environment
• Provides solutions by using imaginative approaches where constructive thinking and innovation are required. 
• Utilizes decision making skills to achieve specific organizational objectives with consideration given to their impact on other work groups.
• Adaptable to set and prioritize work with varying exceptions. Able to work with diverse personalities and styles. 
• Understanding of quality standards relative to merchandising, marketing and promotional practices and procedures.
• Computer skills to produce effective reports (Excel), documents (Word) and presentations (PowerPoint).
• Communicates with clarity, verbally and in one-on-one group situations, or over the telephone.
• Communicates well in writing by compromising clear documents; facility with editing and/or proof-reading is required.   

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 time

Type of Role:

Regular

Shoppers 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.