Category Manager

About the role

We are looking for a smart, driven, and detail-oriented Category Manager who is passionate about assortment building and driving a best-in-class e-commerce shopping experience. This role sits within the Merchandising Team and will collaborate regularly with cross-functional partners in Planning, Operations, Finance, Customer Service, Marketing, Product & Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Report into the Director of Merchandising and manage 1 team member
• Develop a clear strategic vision for your business that supports the overall objectives of Zola
• Use data to inform decision making around assortment strategy, site merchandising, margin optimization, and vendor negotiations
• Utilize AI solutions and emerging technologies to refine operational workflows, bolster analytical insights, and improve category management efficiency
• Forge strong relationships with new and existing vendors as well as with internal cross-functional leaders
• Conduct research and business analysis for merchandise assortments
• Partner closely with Operations and Planning to manage vendor drop ship excellence in order fulfillment
• Collaborate with Marketing, (digital) Product & Engineering, and other cross-functional leaders to drive e-commerce initiatives
• Contribute new business ideas for the growth of the business
• Attend trade shows, lead market meetings, stay up to date on competitive landscape and market research

Requirements

• 5+ years of e-commerce specific experience in buying or category management, with a proven track record of entrepreneurial leadership and financial growth in a fast-paced environment
• 2+ years of experience in managing, mentoring, and developing a direct report

Skills

• Proven analytical and diagnostic skills, with strong retail math skills
• Passion for team training and development, professional growth, and mentorship
• Systems-oriented & proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and everyday AI productivity tools
• Strong negotiation and communication skills (verbal and written), with ability to influence through both official and unofficial channels

Traits

• A strategic thinker with the ability to balance short and long-term goals
• Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple demands while maintaining a high level of organization and attention to detail
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of autonomy; able to get in the weeds and execute hands-on tasks when needed
• Results-oriented and self-motivated with a strong sense of ownership and follow-through
• Ability to be proactive in nature; resolves or appropriately escalates issues
• Strong team orientation, collaborative, cooperative work style
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Strong assortment and style sensibility and a keen eye for emerging market trends to serve the customer need

Pay

The salary range for this role is $90,000 - $110,000.

Schedule

This full-time role will be hybrid at our office in NYC (Tuesdays & Thursdays).

About Zola

We're Zola, the wedding company that will do anything for love. We're reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience to make the happiest moment in our couples' lives even happier. From engagement to wedding and decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology… all in the service of love.

We built our entire platform from the ground-up in 2013 and quickly became the fastest-growing wedding company in the country. Our team has deep experience creating award-winning online and mobile products that are helpful, intuitive, and simply magical. We're proud to have investor partners including Female Founders Fund, Comcast Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Canvas Ventures, Thrive Capital, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, among others.