Category Manager - Hardlines

Location: Markham, Ontario

Job Description:

Position: Category Manager, Hardlines

Type: Full-Time | Hybrid

Location: Markham, ON

Reports to: Director of Merchandising

About Us

Pet Valu is Canada’s leading pet specialty retailer, dedicated to strengthening the bond between dedicated pet lovers and their pets. With 50 years of animal care expertise, we operate over 800 stores across Canada under several banners, including Pet Valu, Bosley’s, Total Pet, Paulmac's Pet, Tisol & Chico. Guided by our mission to deliver products, care, expertise, and memorable moments, Pet Valu is a place where people build meaningful careers while making a positive impact on pets and communities.

What will you do?

The Category Manager, Hardlines is responsible for managing private label and national brand assortments across assigned hardlines categories, with accountability for driving sales growth, profitability, gross margin, and inventory productivity. The incumbent develops and executes category strategies based on consumer insights, market trends, and store needs, while ensuring a compelling product assortment and strong vendor partnerships. Working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver an exceptional customer experience and achieve business objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute category strategies for Hardlines and Seasonal categories that align with company objectives, customer needs, and financial targets.
• Lead category planning, annual line reviews, and seasonal merchandising programs to drive sales growth, profitability, market share, and customer engagement.
• Build and manage compelling assortments of national brands, exclusive products, and private label offerings that differentiate the business and meet evolving customer preferences.
• Analyze sales, margin, market, customer trends and needs, and inventory performance data to identify opportunities and risks and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Manage category P&L performance, including sales, gross margin, inventory turns, vendor funding, and promotional effectiveness.
• Develop pricing, promotional, and assortment strategies that support financial objectives while delivering customer value.
• Negotiate product costs, vendor agreements, rebates, promotional funding, and business terms to maximize category profitability.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers while identifying opportunities for innovation and exclusive product offerings.
• Lead new product introductions, product lifecycle management, assortment optimization, and exit strategies for underperforming products.
• Partner closely with Supply Chain to optimize forecasting, replenishment, inventory productivity, and seasonal inventory transitions.
• Partner with cross functional teams to evaluate creative effectiveness and translate performance insights into continuous improvements in campaign execution and customer engagement.
• Drive omnichannel growth by ensuring assortments and promotional strategies are aligned across retail and digital channels.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance category performance, operational efficiency, and the overall customer experience.

Qualifications:

• University degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing, Supply Chain, Retail Management, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in Category Management, Merchandising, Purchasing, or Retail Buying.
• Demonstrated experience managing Hardlines, Seasonal, General Merchandise, Housewares, Pet Specialty, Mass Retail, Home Improvement, Sporting Goods, or other related product categories.
• Proven success developing and executing category strategies that drive sales growth, margin improvement, inventory productivity, and market share gains.
• Strong experience leading category reviews, assortment optimization, product lifecycle management, and seasonal business planning.
• Extensive experience negotiating with suppliers and managing strategic vendor relationships.
• Experience leveraging data analytics, customer insights, and market trends to inform merchandising decisions.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, and Ecommerce teams.
• Retail experience within a multi-unit, franchise, specialty retail, or omnichannel environment is considered an asset.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong commercial and financial acumen with a deep understanding of category performance metrics, gross margin, inventory productivity, and profitability drivers.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex business data and translate insights into action.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and retail merchandising systems; experience with Power BI, Tableau, or similar analytics tools is an asset.
• Ability to lead through influence and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for identifying trends and delivering market-leading assortments.

Compensation:

The base salary range for this position is $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 annually. The final offer will be based on factors such as market location, relevant skills, experience and internal equity.

Ready to join the team?

We’re looking for passionate people who bring strong skills and live our core values of safety, compassion, expertise, and efficiency every day. If you’re energized by doing meaningful work, taking pride in what you deliver, and making a real impact for pets, people, and communities, you’ll feel right at home here. Join us and build a career where purpose, care, and excellence come together - because love lives here™.

Why work for us?

At Pet Valu, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We’re passionate about creating an environment where you feel supported, included, and empowered to grow - both personally and professionally. Some of the perks of working with us include:

• Hybrid, Flexible Work Options
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits
• Employee Share Purchase Plan with company matching
• Learning and Development support tailored to you
• An inclusive, collaborative culture where your voice matters
• Fun company events that keep us connected
• Preferred rates for car rentals, hotels, phone plans and gym discounts
• Generous employee discounts on our products

Pet Valu is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion and accessibility. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

At Pet Valu, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our hiring practices. This posting is for an existing vacancy. Pet Valu may use AI enabled technology to assist in the recruitment process for positions. The use of AI helps us ensure we are providing an equitable and streamlined recruitment experience for all applicants. While AI tools support our recruitment process, all decisions throughout the process are made exclusively by Pet Valu’s hiring team. At no stage does AI determine recruitment outcomes.