Category Manager
Company: Flipkart
Location: India (Pan-India)
Experience: 3–7 years
Education: MBA from a Tier 1 college
Industry: E-commerce / Retail
About the Company
Flipkart is one of India’s leading e-commerce platforms, committed to providing customers with a seamless shopping experience. The company’s mission is to empower customers by offering a wide range of products and services while fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.
About the Role
As a Category Manager, you will be responsible for driving business strategy, vendor management, market analysis, selection and offer optimization, and purchasing and inventory management for your assigned category.
You’ll act as the business owner — shaping strategy, building vendor relationships, managing profitability, and creating value for both customers and partners.
Key Responsibilities
Business Strategy
- Deeply understand customer behavior and develop actionable insights.
- Co-own the P&L and build a sustainable business model.
- Identify and evaluate new market opportunities and revenue streams.
- Stay ahead of market trends and drive data-backed business decisions.
- Analyze the competitive landscape (online and offline) to maintain category leadership.
- Influence cross-functional leadership to execute strategies effectively.
Vendor Management
- Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with vendors and brands.
- Negotiate terms of business — product pricing, returns, ordering, and marketing support.
- Partner with vendors to drive innovation and enhance product offerings.
- Ensure high vendor engagement and collaboration for category growth.
Market Understanding
- Maintain deep knowledge of short- and long-term market trends.
- Analyze competition, customer needs, and vendor positioning.
- Drive adoption of industry best practices to enhance performance and efficiency.
Selection and Offers
- Drive cost optimization, pricing strategy, and portfolio management.
- Partner with brands on in-store promotions and customer engagement campaigns.
- Make Flipkart the “destination of choice” through best-in-class assortment and offers.
- Optimize product selection to deliver value and choice to customers.
Purchasing and Inventory
- Lead working capital and inventory management to ensure optimal stock levels.
- Develop purchasing strategies that balance cost, availability, and efficiency.
- Partner with brands to secure the best pricing and service levels.
Qualifications
- Education: MBA from a Tier 1 business school (mandatory).
- Experience: Prior experience in the e-commerce, retail, or FMCG industry preferred.
Required Skills
- Strong customer-centric mindset and problem-solving ability.
- Excellent analytical and data interpretation skills.
- Proven ability to translate strategy into actionable business plans.
- Exceptional communication and negotiation skills.
- Comfort with technology, analytics tools, and digital platforms.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and levels.
- High ownership, agility, and bias for action in a fast-paced environment.
- Willingness to take calculated risks and innovate for growth.
Why Join Flipkart
- Opportunity to shape the future of Indian e-commerce.
- Work with passionate, driven professionals in a culture of learning and innovation.
- Fast-paced, high-impact environment with real ownership and accountability.
- Access to cutting-edge tools and technology in a rapidly evolving business ecosystem.
