Assistant Manager - Category management (Limeroad)

Primary responsibilities:

1. Category Strategy & P&L Ownership

Own the category P&L on LimeRoad: GMV, NMV, CM1/CM3, ASP and inventory health, in line with the LimeRoad Online + Omni business plan.

Build the annual, seasonal and event-wise category plan (sales, margin, options, vendor mix) and

cascade it to sub-category targets.

Define the category's mix across V-Mart own assortment on LimeRoad, external marketplace

vendors and One-Click (endless aisle) orders from stores.

2. Range Planning

Build the seasonal range architecture by sub-category, price band, fabric, fit, colour and occasion,

anchored to an accessible value price ladder.

Plan option counts, launch calendar and regular new-arrival drops, including festive, wedding, back-to-college, summer and winter events.

Identify range gaps by benchmarking marketplaces and trend signals (search data, social media,

influencer content); close gaps through external vendors or V-Mart private label.

Work with V-Mart Merchandising category heads and design leads to pick online-exclusive and Gen-Z styles from the V-Mart / LR range.

3. Assortment Planning & Catalogue Health

Decide breadth and depth by sub-category: live options, size curves, colour spread and broken-size

thresholds; delist non-performers on time.

Run OTB and replenishment of winning styles for own inventory; plan stock commitments and SKU coverage with SOR vendors.

Use regional demand (metro vs Tier II), search and zero-result queries to tune the assortment for

regional relevance.

Ensure catalogue quality: correct attributes and tags (including AI-led tagging), size charts, imagery and product content, with catalogue and content teams.

4. Vendor Management

Identify, evaluate and onboard new vendors and brands, prioritizing trend-led, higher-ASP selection that adds breadth V-Mart stores do not stock.

Negotiate commercials: commission/margin, SOR or outright terms, pricing, discount funding,

marketing/ad contribution and payment terms.

Manage vendors through a scorecard (fill rate, dispatch SLA/OTIF, cancellations, quality and return rates, catalogue completeness) and hold regular business reviews.

Grow key vendors into strategic partners through joint business plans, exclusive capsules, event

participation and stock commitments.

Ensure vendor compliance with quality, packaging, labelling and listing guidelines, working with QA.

5. Pricing, Promotions & Site Merchandising

Set price architecture and discount strategy by sub-category; track competitor pricing and protect margin.

Plan sale events, offers and coupons with Marketing, and ensure stock and vendor readiness for big events.

Own on-site visibility for the category: home and category page curation, collections, banners,

search ranking and notification inputs.

Track the funnel (impressions, CTR, PDP views, add-to-cart, conversion) and take corrective action.

6. Inventory, Returns & Fulfilment

Monitor sell-through, ageing and DOI; drive markdown and liquidation decisions for own and

vendor stock.

Reduce returns and RTO through better size/fit information, content, quality checks and vendor

action; support prepaid adoption.

Coordinate with SCM, fulfilment and One-Click teams on availability, dispatch timelines and online exposure of store-network inventory.

7. Analytics, Reporting & Team

Run daily, weekly and monthly category dashboards and share clear, actionable insights with

leadership.

Feed demand signals and trend intelligence back to V-Mart and LimeRoad Offline merchandising.

Lead, coach and review the category team; work closely with Marketing, Tech/Product, Catalogue, Finance, SCM and QA.

Education:

Must-Have

Graduate in any discipline, plus MBA / PGDM (Retail, Marketing or Fashion Management) or a

Fashion Management degree from NIFT / Pearl or equivalent.

Good-to-Have

NIFT Fashion Management Studies (FMS) or Fashion Technology background.

Certification in business analytics, e-commerce or digital marketing.

Experience:

Must-Have

7–10 years in fashion category management, buying or merchandising, with at least 3–4 years in

online fashion e-commerce or marketplace.

Proven ownership of an online category P&L, range and assortment plans, and marketplace vendor management.

Experience in value or mid-market fashion and with Tier 2+ customers.

Good-to-Have

Hands-on experience in the specific category being hired for.

Exposure to Gen-Z / trend-led fashion, SOR or consignment models, private label development, and omnichannel or endless-aisle programmes.

Required Skills:

Must-Have

Range and assortment planning: OTB, option planning, size and price architecture, sell-through

management.

Strong grasp of e-commerce metrics (GMV, NMV, CM1/CM3, ASP, AOV, CTR, conversion,

returns/RTO) and P&L drivers.

Vendor sourcing, negotiation and relationship management.

Sharp trend sense and product eye for the category; customer-first thinking.

Advanced Excel; data-driven decision-making; clear communication in English and Hindi.

Leading a small team and working across functions under tight timelines.

Good-to-Have

SQL, Power BI / Tableau or similar analytics tools.

Understanding of catalogue, search and on-site merchandising tools; familiarity with AI-led tagging and content tools.