Assistant Category Manager - Dairy & Frozen

Department: Category Management / Buying / Merchandising
Designation: Assistant Category Manager -Dairy & Frozen

Job Summary

The Assistant Category Manager Dairy & Frozen will support the management and growth of the Dairy & Frozen category by driving sales, profitability, assortment optimization, inventory efficiency, and vendor partnerships. The role requires strong analytical skills, category knowledge, and retail experience to ensure product availability, freshness, competitive pricing, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities
Category Management

- Support the development and execution of category strategies for Dairy and Frozen products.
- Monitor category sales, margins, market share, and profitability against business targets.
- Analyze customer purchasing trends and recommend category improvements.
- Identify opportunities for category expansion and new product introductions.

Assortment Planning & Buying

- Manage product assortment across categories including:
- Milk & Dairy Products
- Yogurt & Cultured Products
- Cheese & Butter
- Ice Cream & Desserts
- Frozen Vegetables & Fruits
- Frozen Ready-to-Eat Foods
- Frozen Meat, Seafood & Poultry

- Conduct assortment reviews and rationalization to improve category performance.
- Monitor product lifecycle and seasonal demand patterns.

Vendor & Supplier Management

- Build and maintain robust relationships with suppliers and brand partners.
- Assist in negotiating pricing, trade terms, promotional support, rebates, and supply agreements.
- Monitor supplier performance, service levels, and product quality standards.
- Coordinate with vendors to ensure continuous supply and timely product launches.

Pricing & Promotions

- Support pricing strategy development to maintain competitiveness and profitability.
- Plan and execute category promotions, seasonal campaigns, and supplier-funded activities.
- Analyze promotional performance and recommend corrective actions where necessary.





Inventory & Demand Planning

- Work closely with supply chain and replenishment teams to maintain optimal stock levels.
- Monitor inventory turnover, stock ageing, shrinkage, wastage, and out-of-stock situations.
- Support demand forecasting and replenishment planning.
- Ensure effective inventory management for short shelf-life and temperature-sensitive products.

Quality & Compliance

- Ensure products comply with food safety regulations and company quality standards.
- Monitor product freshness, expiry management, and cold chain compliance.
- Coordinate with quality assurance and operations teams to address product-related issues.

Store Operations & Merchandising

- Collaborate with store operations and merchandising teams to maximize category visibility and sales.
- Support planogram implementation and promotional displays.
- Ensure availability of key products and proper stock rotation.

Performance Analysis & Reporting

- Prepare regular category performance reports covering sales, margins, inventory, and supplier performance.
- Analyze category KPIs and provide actionable recommendations.
- Conduct competitor benchmarking and market trend analysis.

Required Skills

- Strong commercial and analytical acumen.
- Knowledge of Dairy and Frozen product categories.
- Understanding of retail merchandising, inventory management, and demand forecasting.
- Vendor negotiation and relationship management skills.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and reporting tools.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
- Knowledge of food safety, cold chain management, and inventory control practices.

Qualifications

- Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Retail Management, Food Technology, Commerce, or a related field.
- MBA or Postgraduate qualification is preferred.
- 5 - 8 years of experience in Category Management, Buying, Merchandising, or Retail Operations.
- Experience managing Dairy, Frozen, Fresh Food, or FMCG categories within supermarkets, hypermarkets, or modern retail is preferred.

📌 Assistant Category Manager - Diary & Frozen (Thiruvananthapuram)
🏢 Jeyachandran Textiles
📍 Thiruvananthapuram