Category Lead - Staples

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients

Min Experience: 4 years

Location: Bangalore

JobType: full-time

This position extends beyond procurement, as you will manage the complete lifecycle of staple products—from sourcing and pricing to quality control and overseeing the category P&L.

In this role, you will function as a mini-General Manager for the category, taking charge of enhancing margin growth, ensuring product-market fit, and driving scalability.

Roles & Responsibilities

1. Category P&L Ownership

• Take full responsibility for the revenue, margins, and profitability of staples.
• Drive gross margins above branded category benchmarks.
• Optimize the product mix between private label and branded SKUs.

2. Sourcing & Supply Chain Development

• Identify and onboard manufacturers, millers, and contract partners.
• Negotiate cost structures, terms of trade (TOTs), and long-term supply agreements.
• Develop a reliable, cost-effective sourcing network ensuring consistent quality.

3. Product Development & Quality

• Define product specifications including quality, grading, and packaging.
• Collaborate with vendors to create differentiated SKUs tailored for Bharat consumers.
• Ensure strict quality control and batch-to-batch consistency.

4. Pricing & Value Leadership

• Develop pricing strategies that provide clear value compared to branded alternatives.
• Monitor commodity price fluctuations and adjust pricing dynamically.
• Balance expanding margins with maintaining price competitiveness.

5. Assortment & Merchandising Strategy

• Build a focused, high-turnover assortment for staples.
• Enhance in-store visibility for staple products.
• Create merchandising and bundling strategies to boost product adoption.

6. Demand, Inventory & Scale

• Accurately forecast demand and maintain high fill rates across stores.
• Collaborate with supply chain teams to maintain optimal inventory levels.
• Scale successful SKUs across multiple regions and formats.

7. Category Growth & Adoption

• Drive brand penetration within the staples category.
• Partner with marketing and operations teams on in-store and app-based interventions.
• Monitor repeat purchase rates, customer feedback, and product performance.

8. Analytics & Performance Tracking

• Monitor key metrics including:
• Gross margin percentage
• Staples' category share
• Sell-through rates and inventory turnover
• Repeat purchase rates
• Identify underperforming SKUs and implement exit strategies or improvement plans.

What we are looking for

• 4 to 8 years of experience in staples procurement, commodity trading, or category management.
• Strong expertise in oil, grains, spices, pulses, or related staples categories.
• Experience collaborating with manufacturers and contract production partners.
• Solid commercial acumen with a P&L ownership mindset.
• Deep understanding of commodity cycles and cost structures.
• Ability to balance cost, quality, and consumer value effectively.
• Structured thinker with excellent execution skills.
• High sense of ownership and a proactive approach.

Location - Bangalore