Director, Category Management

#MaesaMagic   

Maesa is the world's largest independent beauty incubator, housing numerous, fast growing "it" brands within all categories of beauty. We are a high growth global company in the middle of the transition from founder lead to private equity owned. With an incubation flywheel ideating on new global brand launches, Maesa pushes creative and technical boundaries to deliver exceptional performance and establish global staying power. Maesa has a keen focus on marketing and white space analysis, which guides its thinking on marketing existing brands as well as development of new brands through its extremely unique structure. We are vertically integrated globally with in-house marketing, branding, product development/formulation, packaging design/engineering and regulatory. With a focus on modernity and sustainability, we design innovative solutions and make proactive choices to achieve environmental neutrality and consumer wellness. Maesa has mastered "commercializing creativity," making itself a leader in the fundamental revolutionary change in the beauty industry. Headquartered in New York and Paris, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Vienna, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Dongguan, Maesa employs about 400 team members worldwide. 

Maesa is looking for a strategic and results-driven Category Management Director to help lead our category management efforts across a diverse portfolio of beauty and personal care products. This role will be pivotal in driving the growth of Maesa’s brands by developing data-driven strategies, optimizing product assortment, and delivering key insights to internal teams and retail partners. The Category Management Director will work closely with cross-functional teams, including sales, marketing, and supply chain, to ensure that our products meet customer needs and exceed sales goals. The ideal candidate will also have experience driving digital growth, utilizing advanced analytics and reporting tools to continuously improve category performance and enhance the customer experience.

The Category Management Director reports to the Senior Director, Sales Strategy & Operations. 

This role is based in NYC and you will be expected in office three (3) days a week, at minimum.

Responsibilities

• Category Strategy & Planning: Lead the development and execution of category management strategies, ensuring alignment with Maesa’s overall business goals. Analyze market trends, consumer insights, and sales data to create actionable plans that drive category growth and profitability.
• Customer Experience & Data Analysis: Use data-driven insights to create a seamless and impactful customer experience. Conduct regular market research and data analysis to identify opportunities for growth and make informed decisions that maximize category performance.
• Product Assortment & Optimization: Collaborate with the sales and marketing teams to optimize product assortment, shelf placement, and promotional strategies across key retailers.
• Retailer Relationships & Presentations: Build and maintain strong relationships with key retail partners, ensuring Maesa’s products are strategically positioned and performing well across all channels. Lead the development of category presentations and business reviews to share key insights and strategies.
• Sales & Marketing Alignment: Partner with marketing teams to ensure that category strategies align with product launches, promotions, and overall brand objectives.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with sales, operations, product development, and creative teams to ensure that category strategies align with business goals and drive sales.
• Sales Metrics & Reporting: Build dashboards and reports to monitor category performance, including traffic, sales, average order value, and conversion. Regularly analyze performance data to take corrective actions and inform future strategy.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of category management professionals, fostering a collaborative and growth-focused environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in category management, eCommerce, or related roles, ideally within the beauty, consumer goods, or retail industry.
• Strong knowledge of category management processes, including assortment planning, space management, and promotional strategies.
• Experience working with key retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target, Ulta) and an understanding of their operations, data tools, and retail programs.
• Proven ability to drive digital growth through data analysis, marketing activation, and customer experience optimization.
• Expertise in data analysis tools (e.g., Nielsen, IRI, Adobe Analytics, Salesforce) and a strong ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Experience in luxury or high-end retail eCommerce is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (preferred).

What We Offer

$165K/yr - $175K/yr. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location. This position is eligible for participation in a discretionary bonus plan based on individual and company performance. The role is based in NYC.

Maesa offers a variety of benefits to eligible employees. Employees can choose to enroll in health insurance coverage, wellness programs, life and disability insurance, and retirement savings plans. Through generous paid time off, a hybrid office setup, and paid leave options, Maesa encourages wellness and balance among employees.

Our Commitment to You

At Maesa, we live by our values of collaboration, curiosity, game-changing, creativity, and discipline.  We believe our people and partners are a creative force that catalyzes the possibilities in beauty to break through traditional limits and discover the “new” without restriction. We prioritize creating and fostering a welcoming environment for employees, partners, ideas, approaches, and endeavors — all through a spirit of warmth and inclusivity. As set forth in Maesa’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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