Category Manager, Home Computers & Entertainment

Category Manager, Home Computers & Entertainment

Why This Role Matters

Our Home Computers & Entertainment categories play a key role in shaping the customer experience across our retail network. As Category Manager, Home Computers & Entertainment, you will lead the strategic direction of the category, guide a team of Buyers, and drive financial performance through strong merchandising judgment, vendor partnerships, and data‑driven decision‑making. This role requires a leader who can set a clear category vision, anticipate market trends, and collaborate effectively across the business to deliver sales growth, margin improvement, and a differentiated customer experience.

What You'll Do

Team Leadership & Development

Lead and develop a team of Buyers responsible for product selection, vendor management, and category performance

Set performance expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and conduct performance reviews

Build buying expertise through training, mentoring, and skill development

Foster a culture of customer focus, merchandising excellence, and financial discipline

Category Strategy & Planning

Develop long‑range category strategies that drive sales, margin, and competitive differentiation

Define category vision including assortment architecture, pricing position, and promotional strategy

Analyze market trends, competitive activity, and customer insights to inform strategic direction

Partner with Merchandise Planning on financial plans, including sales, margin, and inventory targets

Lead seasonal planning and buying cycles to ensure timely execution

Evaluate new category opportunities and recommend expansion or rationalization

Financial Management & Performance

Own category P&L including sales, margin, inventory investment, and profitability

Manage Open‑to‑Buy budgets in partnership with Planning

Establish pricing strategies and margin targets that balance competitiveness and profitability

Monitor financial performance and take action to address shortfalls or capitalize on opportunities

Analyze sales trends, margin performance, and inventory productivity to identify improvements

Manage promotional budgets and assess ROI on promotional investments

Vendor & Industry Relationships

Build strategic relationships with key vendors and brand partners

Negotiate agreements including cost structures, payment terms, and promotional funding

Evaluate vendor partnerships and make decisions on vendor additions, deletions, and resource allocation

Attend major trade shows and industry events to identify trends and discover new products

Stay current on industry developments, competitive activity, and emerging brands

Assortment & Merchandising Excellence

Establish assortment principles including good‑better‑best frameworks, private label strategy, and brand mix

Review and approve assortment plans to ensure alignment with category strategy and financial goals

Partner with Space Planning on category space allocation, planogram standards, and merchandising principles

Drive merchandising excellence through clear visual standards and strong in‑store presentation

Evaluate assortment productivity and make decisions on item additions, deletions, and replacements

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

In this leadership role, you will work closely with Merchandise Planning, Pricing, Space Planning, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Store Operations to ensure category strategies are executed effectively across the business. You will also influence senior leadership through data‑driven recommendations and clear communication of category strategies.

Partner with Planning on forecasting, inventory strategies, and allocation optimization

Collaborate with Pricing on competitive positioning, promotional strategy, and markdown management

Work with Marketing on promotional campaigns, circular planning, and customer communication

Coordinate with Supply Chain on vendor performance, logistics, and inventory flow

Engage with Store Operations on merchandising execution, product training, and field feedback

What You Bring

Core Skills & Competencies

Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop long‑term category visions, anticipate market trends, and connect decisions to broader business objectives

Leadership: Experience building high‑performing teams through coaching, development, and clear direction

Merchandising Excellence: Strong product judgment and trend identification; ability to create assortments that resonate with customers

Financial Acumen: Ability to manage category P&L, make investment decisions, and translate financial analysis into action

Business Partnership: Strong collaboration skills with the ability to influence cross‑functional partners through data and clear communication

Results Orientation: Proven ability to drive improvements in sales, margin, and market share

Customer Focus: Deep understanding of customer needs and shopping behaviors; ability to evaluate decisions through the customer lens

Required Qualifications

Proven track record of category leadership with success driving sales growth and margin improvement

Deep category expertise with strong product knowledge and understanding of customer needs and market dynamics

Strong financial acumen with experience managing P&L, Open‑to‑Buy, and category financial performance

Proven negotiation skills and experience building strategic vendor partnerships

Excellent communication and presentation skills, including comfort presenting to senior leadership

Strategic thinking with ability to translate category vision into actionable plans

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with relevant Entertainment categories

Experience working with Planning, Pricing, and Space Planning teams

Familiarity with retail analytics and reporting tools

Experience managing categories in multi‑store retail environments

Background in both physical retail and e‑commerce

Equal Opportunity Employer

London Drugs is an equal opportunity employer. The above statements are intended to describe t.