Relaxo Footwear - Category Head

Position Title: Category Head

Department: Marketing

Work Location: HO

Minimum Job Requirements

Educational Qualification: MBA in Sales / Operations / Marketing or equivalent

Experience: 10 - 15 years preferably with at least 2-3 years as Brand/Category manager in FMCG/Fashion Apparel or equivalent

Purpose of the Position (Job Summary):

- Drive category P&L by leading channel-wise category growth in coordination with the channel sales teams. Growth strategy would include - pricing strategies, NPD, optimizing product placement across channels, monitoring inventory and SLOB etc.

- Support brand team in building a robust marketing strategy and calendar for the category.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Financial - Sales budgeting: Build AOP plan for category x geography- in discussion with Channel Heads

- "Category x Channel" growth plans

- "Category x Geography" growth plans

- Budget category related spend for the year (margins + schemes, BTL, etc.)

- Target fulfilment: Ensure month on month volume and value target AOP / sales are achieved.

- P&L Management: Manage the category P&L ensuring that all strategic initiatives meet overall topline as well as profitability targets

Customer Oriented:

- Portfolio strategy: Analyze competitor intelligence (from Marketing & Channel sales) and market relevant inputs from across channels to define the right portfolio strategy, focusing on sub-categories across channels while also ensuring balanced margins.

- Pricing: Map "price ranges x # articles" for channel exclusive as well as umbrella category portfolio - in discussion with channel heads. Sign-off on article level price revision plan for category

- Placement: Drive placement of entire portfolio, especially NPD, for the category across channels - in discussion with channel and portfolio team, and track performance in comparison with AOP targets (monthly placement across stores)

- Category specific Schemes: Trade and retail schemes - designing, communicating, tracking retailer / distributor enrolment, monitoring performance and effectiveness for the respective category.

- BTL activities: Planning and allocation inputs to trade marketing, in consultation with channel sales teams. Monitoring of the BTL activities linked to key category objectives.

People Oriented:

- Capability development: Support training and capability development of the sales team from a category point of view

Internal Business Process:

- S&OP: Monitor S&OP process for category across channels - monthly state level and platform-based demand forecasting, inputs for long term manufacturing / supply chain capacity increment for category

- Stock allocation by channel for the category to MBO, Retail CDCs and eCommerce

- Performance evaluation: Evaluate Category x Channel x State performance - on a regular basis

- Assess benchmark performance, channel offers

- Identify gaps in critical levers (credit, margins, schemes, availability)

- Capture and track market feedback on new products from competition on-going basis

- Liaise with marketing, supply teams to bridge gaps

- Drive direct reach for category across geographies

- Drive NPD placement

- Drive front runner placement

- SLOB management: Pro-actively review SLOB & take corrective measures for inventory/ SLOB management for category across channels.

Competencies:

Technical/ Functional Behavioral:

- P/L account management

- Multi-channel management

- Marketing-mix Management

- Sales planning and forecasting - Adaptability & resilience

- Cross functional collaboration

- Abstract reasoning

Key Responsibility Areas:

Quantitative Qualitative:

- YoY category growth in category revenue across channels

- % improvement in market share for category

- % target achievement on AOP for category across channels

- % NC contribution

- % NPD placement adherence

- % revenue contribution from NPD

- % SLOB to total inventory present

- Demand forecasting accuracy - Timely development of AOP

- Routinely running the category S&OP process

- Timely assessment and revision of portfolio pricing

- Timely development of category BTL plans

- Timely development and launch of distribution/ retail/ new channels schemes for category

- Timely capture of and action on competitive intelligence

Key Stakeholders:

Internal External:

- Sales Team

- Trade Marketing

- Brand Marketing

- Supply Chain & Logistics

- Finance

- Sales Capability - Distributors

- Retailers

- Franchise partners

- Institutions

- Key Online Account SPOCs