Professional Resume Template for
Category Manager
Elena R. Sterling
Chicago, IL
(312) 555-0143
elena.sterling@email.com
linkedin.com/in/elena-sterling | elenasterling.com
Professional Summary
Category Manager with 6 years of experience driving retail growth and market share expansion for consumer goods portfolios. Expert in assortment optimization, vendor negotiations, and lifecycle management for accounts exceeding $18M in annual revenue. Proven track record of leveraging Blue Yonder and NielsenIQ Spaceman to analyze POS data, resulting in a 14% average category margin improvement and a 22% reduction in inventory carrying costs. Adept at cross-functional collaboration with demand planning, supply chain, and marketing teams to align pricing and promotional strategies with shifting customer demographics.
Work Experience
Category Manager — Novara Retail Group
Chicago, IL | June 2023 – Present
- Orchestrated category review and shelf space re-optimization using NielsenIQ Spaceman across 450 stores, increasing general merchandising sales by 14% and boosting overall shelf productivity by 19%.
- Negotiated annual vendor agreements with 24 supplier groups, securing a 4.5% reduction in cost of goods sold (COGS) and reclaiming $380,000 in promotional funding for high-margin products.
- Leveraged Blue Yonder to execute assortment rationalization for the home goods division, removing 80 low-performing SKUs and improving inventory turnover rate from 4.2 to 5.8 annually.
- Directed pricing alignment strategies using retail analytics dashboards to respond to competitor actions, boosting the category net margin by 160 basis points over a 12-month period.
Associate Category Manager — Vanguard Consumer Goods
Chicago, IL | July 2020 – May 2023
- Analyzed weekly POS sales trends and inventory levels using SAP Retail for a $12M grocery category, identifying stockout risks and improving product on-shelf availability from 91% to 97%.
- Coordinated with supply chain teams to implement a vendor-managed inventory (VMI) program for top 8 suppliers, reducing lead times by 3 days and saving $120,000 in carrying costs.
- Managed planogram execution audits across 12 regional markets, ensuring 98% compliance with visual merchandising guidelines and driving a 6% increase in cross-selling promotional items.
- Initiated localized markdown strategies using retail business intelligence tools, clearing $450,000 in seasonal slow-moving inventory while maintaining a gross margin of 28%.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Stanton University · Chicago, IL · 2020
Skills
Category management, Assortment optimization, Vendor negotiation, Planogram design, Price optimization, Inventory management, Visual merchandising, Demand planning, Blue Yonder, NielsenIQ Spaceman, SAP Retail, Oracle Retail, SQL, Tableau
Projects
Private Label Brand Expansion
Role: Lead Category Manager
Tools: Blue Yonder, NielsenIQ Spaceman, Tableau
Spearheaded the launch of 12 new private label SKUs, achieving 94% on-shelf availability within 60 days and generating $2.4M in incremental retail revenue.
Omnichannel Assortment Integration
Role: Category Manager
Tools: SAP Retail, Oracle Retail, Excel VBA
Led a cross-functional alignment project to unify physical and online inventory assortments, reducing digital cart abandonment rates by 11% and driving $1.8M in online sales.
Certifications
- Certified Category Manager (CCM) (2022)
- CPFR (Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment) Specialist (2021)
Additional information
- Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Professional working proficiency)
- Affiliations: Active Member, Category Management Association (2021-present)
- Availability: 2 weeks notice
Job Market Insights
Market data and opportunities for
Category Manager
Job Market Insights
$85,000
-
$130,000
Avg:
$108,000
Growth Outlook:
The retail category manager role is undergoing a strategic shift, transitioning from traditional shelf space planning to high-level, data-driven revenue optimization. As retailers adopt advanced artificial intelligence and automated pricing tools, category managers are expected to focus heavily on vendor relations, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic decision-making. The demand for digital fluency and proficiency in platforms like Blue Yonder remains robust. Overall employment for retail buyers and managers is projected to grow steadily at 6% annually in corporate headquarters.
6% growth over 10 years
Key Skills Required
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