Role : Vendor Manager
Company: RK WorldInfocom Private Limited
Location: Bangalore, India
Apply : https://anjanakumar.app.n8n.cloud/form/0b063e8a-300c-4adf-879e-15140e583948
Job Purpose
The Vendor Manager will be responsible for developing and owning the strategy for a category, and working with a high-performing vendor management team. Within this role the individual will have the opportunity to establish and maintain strong vendor partnerships, manage category profitability, optimize pricing, and identify means to improve the customer experience.
This is a seasoned business leader with a broad skill set which demonstrates analytical capability, excellent business judgment, strong vendor management and negotiations skills, and deep curiosity to uncover how things work.
Roles and Responsibilities
1. Category & P&L Management
- Own the P&L for multiple brands/sub-categories; develop plans that drive revenue and margin improvement
- Dive deep into inputs and understand the downstream impact of changes to pricing, selection, and convenience for multiple sub-categories
- Manage inputs (selection, in-stock), category or brand financials, pricing and promotion management, auditing and analysis of data at granular levels
- Handle vendor escalations and concise communications
- Create strategic and prioritized vendor business plans that maximize margins and customer experience
2. Vendor Relationship Management & Negotiations
- Build and maintain long-term relationships with vendors for the sub-categories/brands assigned
- Drive strategic negotiations to deliver top- and bottom-line category growth for sub-categories/brands
- Focus on strategic holdout or challenging vendors to increase selection
- Create opportunities for growth and customer acquisition for multiple sub-categories
- Improve vendor terms and cost structures on an ongoing basis
3. Customer & Category Advocacy
- Demonstrate customer and category knowledge; be an advocate for a quality customer experience
- Understand the competition and industry landscape
- Identify downstream impact of changes to pricing, selection, and convenience
4. Long-Term Growth & Risk Management
- Identify and plan for long-term growth opportunities
- Proactively identify and communicate risks vendor and competitor-related to internal leaders and brand leadership
- Partner with internal teams on strategic initiatives and cross-functional projects
5. Tools, Knowledge & Team Development
- Demonstrate deep understanding of tools and become an advocate for tool enhancements
- Drive knowledge management and development of self and others
- Support recruiting efforts within the team
Regular Activities
- Regular engagements with brands including in-person meetings on a monthly basis
- Weekly and monthly review to inspect movements/trends on customer input metrics (selection, customer demand, GV coverage)
- Annual and seasonal negotiations with brands
- Highlighting escalating issues with brands and competitors to internal leaders and brand leadership
- Ensuring vendor experience issues are addressed promptly access to information/data, payments, MIS reports, promotion plans, etc.
- Planning for events and promotions including getting support from brands
Job Specifications
Education
Experience
- 5+ years of experience in one of the following: quantitative/financial analysis, retail buying, retail planning & allocation, product/project management, pricing, marketing, or e-commerce
Technical Skills
- Proficiency in Excel
- Proven analytical skills and highly numerate
Core Competencies
- Proven negotiation skills
- Proven experience leading teams and cross-functional projects
- Influencing abilities and vendor management experience
- Ability to think and react in a high-energy, fast-paced environment
- Ability to operate simultaneously and effectively in both tactical and strategic modes
- Willingness to roll up sleeves to get things done
- Ability to work autonomously in a demanding and often ambiguous environment
- Strong attention to detail and effective prioritization
