Head - Category - Food & Lifestyle

We are looking for a dynamic and commercially savvy Head of Category to lead the growth and profitability of a fast-scaling, premium food and lifestyle brand. The ideal candidate will own the end-to-end P&L, drive category performance through strong merchandising and assortment strategies, and deliver exceptional business outcomes across margin, volume, and profitability metrics.

Key Responsibilities:

- Full ownership of category P&L, including revenue, margin, and inventory performance.

- Develop and execute buying, assortment, and merchandising strategies to achieve business goals.

- Optimize pricing, promotions, and product mix to drive sales and profitability.

- Manage inventory planning and demand forecasting to ensure optimal stock health.

- Partner with marketing, supply chain, and finance to deliver a cohesive category strategy.

- Analyze performance metrics and market trends to identify growth opportunities.

- Build and mentor a high-performing category and buying team.

Requirements:

- 5-20 years of experience in category management, buying, or merchandising (preferably in food, gourmet, or lifestyle retail).

- Proven track record of end-to-end P&L management.

- Strong commercial acumen - understands margins, volumes, pricing, and profitability levers.

- Analytical mindset with a deep understanding of inventory and operational metrics.

- Excellent stakeholder management and leadership skills.

- Based in or open to relocation to Mumbai or Gurugram.