Category Manager Staples

This role goes beyond procurement. You will act as the Business Owner for Staples—driving assortment strategy, vendor partnerships, pricing, monetization, availability, and P&L performance.

You will work closely with sourcing, supply chain, marketing, and store operations teams to ensure the category delivers strong growth, margins, and customer value.

Roles & Responsibilities

1. Category P&L Ownership

• Own revenue, margins, and profitability for staples


• Drive higher gross margins vs branded benchmarks


• Optimize mix between private label and branded SKUs

2. Sourcing & Supply Chain Development

• Identify and onboard manufacturers, millers, and contract partners


• Negotiate cost structures, TOTs, and long-term supply agreements


• Build a reliable, cost-efficient sourcing network with consistent quality

3. Product Development & Quality

• Define product specifications (quality, grading, packaging)


• Work with vendors to develop differentiated SKUs tailored for Bharat consumers


• Ensure strict quality control and consistency across batches

4. Pricing & Value Leadership

• Design pricing strategies that deliver clear value vs branded alternatives


• Track commodity price movements and adjust pricing dynamically


• Balance margin expansion with price competitiveness

5. Assortment & Merchandising Strategy

• Build a focused, high-velocity assortment for staples


• Drive in-store visibility for staples


• Design merchandising and bundling strategies to improve adoption

6. Demand, Inventory & Scale

• Forecast demand and ensure high fill rates across stores


• Work with supply chain teams to maintain optimal inventory levels


• Scale successful SKUs across regions and formats

7. Category Growth & Adoption

• Drive brand penetration within the staples category


• Work with marketing and ops teams on in-store and app-led interventions


• Track repeat purchase, customer feedback, and product performance

8. Analytics & Performance Tracking

• Track key metrics:
  
  
  
  • Gross margin %
  
  
  • Staples share in category
  
  
  • Sell-through and inventory turns
  
  
  • Repeat purchase rates
  
  
  
  


• Identify underperforming SKUs and drive exit or improvement plan

What we are looking for

• 3 - 6 years in staples procurement, commodity trading, or category management


• Strong experience in oil, grains, spices, pulses, or similar staples categories


• Experience working with manufacturers / contract production


• Strong commercial and P&L mindset


• Deep understanding of commodity cycles and cost structures


• Ability to balance cost, quality, and consumer value


• Structured thinker with strong execution ability


• High ownership and bias for action