As a Lead Associate - Category Management, you will oversee the procurement process by managing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, and ensuring timely delivery of goods. Your role will have a direct impact on the company's supply chain efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Roles & Responsibilities Buying: • Assortment planning and range selection in line with global guidelines , domestic market trends and historical data: Seasonal and core merchandise • Responsible for setting MRP that meets the target margin and uplift while also ensuring competitiveness in market • Managing revenue and growth as set in budget • Liaising with international buying team for regular feedback sessions, improvement in range, trend analysis reports for India • Coordinating with logistics team for importing shipments to ensure on time deliveries • Creating and conducting seasonal product trainings • Develop product analysis reports that facilitate both local and international stakeholders in understanding market demands Planning & Inventory: • Coordinate with planning team for creation of OTB and inventory days: Seasonal and core OTB • Maximizing sell through and sales by monitoring the stock cover, monitoring regular replenishments and inter-store stock movement done by merchandising team • Developing mark-down strategies for stock liquidation along with planning team • Responsible for creating and analyzing weekly and monthly business reports E-com: • E-com specific product assortment: Taking feedback from category team and demand teams and consolidating the same • Research for latest online trends in line with brand guardrails and converting into assortment plan for online channel • Managing site merchandising: Ensuring Product listing is done, Inventory is live and Discount uploading is done and ASP is maintained by respective category team • Collaborating with store/pricing/category/demand team for driving promotion/visibility strategies Qualifications & Experience • 3-6 years of experience in Category or Buying roles • Strong negotiation and analytical skills • Proficiency in vendor management and supplier evaluations