Product Category Strategist

Company Overview:

PetWise Inc. stands at the forefront of the pet product industry, known for its commitment to crafting smart, stylish, and eco-friendly products for pets. Established in 1990, our innovative offerings are accessible through various retail and online platforms globally. We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative work environment that promotes career advancement, competitive salaries, and comprehensive benefits. Join us in shaping the future of our company.

Position Summary:

The Product Category Strategist will oversee the complete product lifecycle, encompassing market analysis, consumer insights, product development, financial planning, and collaboration with sales teams to ensure successful product placement in retail environments.

This position demands a dynamic leader capable of engaging with multiple teams across various locations. A vital aspect of this role is to develop a thorough understanding of PetWise's manufacturing strengths and collaborate with sales leadership to pinpoint and leverage both immediate and long-term business prospects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Direct the strategy and execution of merchandising initiatives.
• Act as the retail/account expert, managing product assortments and analyzing IRI/retailer POS data to track performance metrics such as shelf share, competitive assortments, pricing strategies, and sales velocity.
• Serve as the category captain, leading private label strategies and becoming the primary resource for category trends and planning, as well as industry news.
• Oversee retailer assortments and planograms (POGs), promotional displays, and collaborate closely with product and sales teams.

· Collaborate with sales teams to identify growth opportunities. Act as a strategic resource for sales on retailer inquiries, providing efficient and effective solutions that align with brand guidelines, retail segmentation, pricing strategies, and inventory management.

• Function as a strategic partner for the sales team, managing annual category planning, including private label initiatives and retailer assortments.
• Develop expertise in sales performance metrics, extracting insights from NIQ, retailer POS data, competitive analysis, and promotional strategies while identifying new market opportunities.
• Be the primary resource for category trends and industry news.
• Manage retailer assortments and planograms (POGs), promotional displays, and collaborate with product and sales teams.
• Lead the private label strategy and assortment planning, transitioning successful products to the product manager for go-to-market strategies.
• Act as the liaison between finance and operations for pricing strategies.

· Serve as the bridge between Sales, Product, and Marketing teams to ensure alignment with company objectives.

· Collaborate on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to retail pricing, promotions, and product placement, while tracking and reporting these metrics.

· Identify new product opportunities through trend analysis, customer feedback, and collaboration with sourcing teams, while also phasing out underperforming products.

Qualifications:

· Bachelor's Degree or equivalent professional experience.

· A minimum of 5 years of experience in Buying, Merchandising, or Product Development, preferably within the Pet, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), or General Merchandise sectors.

· Proficient in presenting and selling directly to key clients.

· Exceptional organizational skills, both in physical and digital workspace management.

· Strong communication abilities with an intuitive approach to diverse personalities.

· Interest and proficiency in analytics, including financial and market research.

· Commitment to maintaining high ethical standards in a professional setting.

· Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams.

· Expertise in consumer product design and detailed specification creation.

· Competency in retail mathematics, including margins and pricing structures.

· Willingness to travel as needed, estimated at 20%.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand, bend, stoop, sit, walk, twist, and turn.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to use a computer keyboard and calculator.
• Work primarily in an indoor environment, with most time spent seated at a desk.

About Us:

PetWise is an innovation-driven organization poised for growth, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations while outperforming competitors. Our commitment to sustainability and innovation is at the core of our operations. We proudly offer a diverse brand portfolio, including SmartyKat, goDog, Sherpa, TrustyPup, Pet Factory, FurHaven, Petlinks, Pawscout, Kitty Sift, and PoochPlanet, leading the market in pet toys, cat products, beds, and travel accessories. We embrace a diverse workforce that thrives in dynamic environments, values continuous improvement, and shares a passion for pets. Our headquarters is located in Novato, CA, with additional offices across the U.S. and Canada, as well as international sourcing capabilities. PetWise provides a fun, flexible, and pet-friendly workplace where employees are empowered to contribute to the company's future.

Salary Range:

The base salary for this position ranges from $80,000 to $120,000. The actual salary offered will depend on various factors, including the applicant's qualifications, relevant experience, specific skills, education level, certifications, and other legitimate business considerations related to the position.