About Lee Valley:

Since 1978, Lee Valley has recognized that for many, woodworking and gardening are more than just hobbies. Lee Valley Tools enjoys a proud history of providing high-quality woodworking, gardening, hobby, hardware, gift and seasonal merchandise to customers worldwide. We pride ourselves on providing quality products and renowned customer service.

Lee Valley has been honored with many prestigious awards, including being recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies by Deloitte. Additionally, we ranked #1 for In-Store Experience in Ontario by Leger Marketing Inc.

A position at Lee Valley is more than just a job – we honor the time and dedication that our people give by providing sustained and meaningful employment while striving to provide an environment where learning and development are encouraged.

Overview

The Associate Category Manager plays a vital role in delivering compelling and innovative products that resonate with our customers and drive business performance. This position supports the end-to-end management of assigned product sub-categories, with a dual focus on introducing new products to market and optimizing the performance of existing portfolios. By working collaboratively across internal teams and with external vendors, the Associate Category Manager helps ensure category strategies align with customer needs, financial goals, and the company’s strategic vision.

Key Responsibilities:

New Product Development and Go-to-Market Execution

• Support the development and execution of sourcing strategies by identifying and prioritizing new products and promotions that deliver value to customers.
• Manage new and existing vendor relationships, collaborating to improve cost, quality, reliability, and innovation for a sustained competitive advantage.
• Perform market research and liaise with internal departments to gather and communicate information relevant to new product opportunities and marketing initiatives.
• Develop business cases for new products and promotions, incorporating data on competition, freight, duty, comparator sales, surveys, and testing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on go-to-market strategies and marketing collateral for stores, catalogs, and digital platforms.
• Align new product budgets and inventory forecasts in collaboration with the Planning team.
• Oversee quality control, compliance, and SKU-level costing during product onboarding.
• Participate in or lead presentations of findings and recommendations to leadership.
• Select and purchase merchandise for resale
• Determine strategic planning related to new product lines
• Recommend suitable products
• Identify potential markets
• Negotiate with suppliers for the provision of products

Portfolio Management – Assigned Sub-Categories

• Partner with the Category Manager to develop and execute merchant assortment and financial plans for assigned sub-categories.
• Co-own seasonal planning processes and support execution across relevant channels.
• Advocate for and contribute to portfolio strategies that enhance competitiveness and meet marketing and business objectives.
• Conduct regular product reviews, including line rationalization, assortment planning, and new product development.
• Monitor and manage financial performance to targets across key metrics: Revenue, Margin $, Margin %, Inventory Value, and Turnover.
• Provide analytical insights and performance reporting on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis to support continuous improvement.
• Work with Planners to align budgets, optimize inventory levels, and maintain balanced assortments.
• Perform other duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in business or related discipline
• 1-2 years’ related experience in category management or relevant experience in woodworking, power tools or hardware.
• Ability to make routine, low-impact financial decisions within clear parameters and limited budget.
• Ability to evaluate a product and recommend an appropriate business case
• Highly organized with the ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively
• Self-driven and proactive
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Negotiation skills
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

What we offer

• A competitive compensation program, including base salary, comprehensive health and dental benefits, and a matching group retirement savings plan.
• Paid vacation and sick leave to support your well-being and work-life balance.
• A generous Lee Valley employee discount.
• A supportive, family-oriented environment that encourages learning, growth, and long-term development.

Salary Range: $60,000 - $75,000

Diversity and Inclusion:

At Lee Valley, we are proud to celebrate and foster a diverse team of professionals. We take pride in nurturing an inclusive culture that empowers our people to be their authentic selves, celebrate their differences and love where they work. Our diverse community combined with our inclusive culture, is what sets us apart in the industry.

We encourage all candidates to apply for job opportunities with Lee Valley regardless of race, national origin, colour, religion, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital and family status, or disability.

Our Approach to Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

We believe that hiring decisions should be grounded in human judgment, thoughtful evaluation, and meaningful dialogue.

At Lee Valley, we do not use artificial intelligence tools to screen, rank, or make automated decisions about candidates. All applications are reviewed by members of our hiring team, and selection decisions are made through human assessment and professional judgment.

We are committed to a fair, transparent, and equitable recruitment process where candidates are evaluated based on their experience, skills, and potential — not by automated systems.

Accommodation Requests

If you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please do not hesitate to reach out.

How to Apply

Please visit our careers page at https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/careers

We thank all applicants, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.