Overview
Category Manager – Clean Fitness Jobs in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa at Wellness Warehouse
Title: Category Manager – Clean Fitness
Company: Wellness Warehouse
Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Category Strategy & Growth
- Ensure alignment of category strategy across in-store and digital channels, optimising product visibility, conversion, and customer experience online
- Develop and execute a forward-looking category strategy aligned to business objectives and market opportunities
- Identify gaps through local and global trend analysis, translating insights into actionable innovation pipelines
- Define clear category positioning, ensuring strong differentiation in clean fitness and wellness
- Collaborate closely with marketing, planning, supply chain, and store operations to ensure seamless execution of category strategy
- Monthly selection of targeted promotions to drive sales, highlight innovation and drive customer acquisition
Innovation and Product Integrity
- Build a robust pipeline of new product development aligned to global wellness and fitness trends
- Ensure all products comply with ingredient policies, regulatory standards, and sustainability goals
- Position innovation clearly within the category to maximise visibility and customer adoption
Data and analysis
- Drive weekly and monthly trade reviews, analysing performance across sales, margin, stock turn, and sell-through to identify risks and opportunities
- Use data analytics to drive informed decision-making across all aspects of the category
- Own and manage the full category P&L including sales, margin, markdown, and stock turn.
- Drive optimal price-volume mix and gross margin return on investment (GMROI)
Supplier Strategy & Commercial Negotiation
- Develop and maintain strong, sustainable supplier partnerships
- Negotiate favourable trade terms, pricing, and promotional support
- Collaborate with suppliers on joint business plans and innovation pipelines
In-store Execution and Customer Experience
- Define and manage category range architecture (core, seasonal, innovation), ensuring optimal SKU productivity and lifecycle management through structured range reviews
- Oversee planograms, space allocation, and in-store communication
- Ensure consistent and compelling execution of category strategy across all stores
- Work closely with store teams to enhance customer education and engagement
Sustainability and Brand Alignment
- Embed sustainability principles into sourcing, packaging and supplier selection
- Ensure the category reflects the brands commitment to clean, ethical, and transparent products
Requirements
- Tertiary Retail / Commercial (E.g. Bcom) and/or professional qualification advantageous.
- Candidates must be brand ambassadors.
- Proven track record of delivering sales growth, margin improvement, and stock optimisation
- Strong commercial acumen with experience managing category P&L
- Advanced analytical capability using excel and data-driven decision-making skills
- Experience working with suppliers and negotiating trade terms
- Ability to operate in a fast-paced, trend-driven environment
- 3 + years in FMCG retail or other related working environments as a Category Manager/ Buyer or Junior buyer