Category Lead (30L)

Company Overview

Bzaar is a cross-border platform enabling US retailers and brands to source transparently from India. We are driving the ‘China+N’ shift to India in consumer goods by investing in manufacturing, factory automation, talent, and processes. Our manufactured goods are available at top US retailers, including TJX and Meijers. Our team comprises graduates from esteemed institutions such as Stanford, Kellogg, USC, and NIFT, and includes professionals who have worked at leading companies like Flipkart, Amazon, Maruti Suzuki, Walmart, and Williams Sonoma.

Job Summary

The Category Lead will be a vital member of the initial core team, responsible for structuring and scaling the business. This central role encompasses in-depth customer insights, product and pricing strategies, competitive intelligence, and design/sampling efforts to drive the Profit and Loss (P&L) for the organization.

Responsibilities

• Build an in-depth understanding of the US retail landscape, including price points, differentiation, and market trends.
• Develop and maintain a bottoms-up pricing model across various product segments.
• Close customer Requests for Quotations (RFQs) while balancing sales growth against margins.
• Establish and maintain relationships with key customers to expand business opportunities.
• Attract, retain, and grow top-tier talent for the organization.
• Coordinate with factories for cost and process optimization.
• Act as a key link between US customers and Indian teams.

Qualifications

• Founder Mindset: Ability to think like an owner with a strong bias for action and structured problem-solving.
• Educational Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from a top-tier institution; MBA is preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years in category management, Profit and Loss (P&L) oversight, or product development.
• Skills:
  • Strong analytical skills with strategic thinking abilities.
  • Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and a proactive "can do" attitude.
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to manufacturing and exports would be advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in category management, P&L, or product development.

Environment

• This role requires enthusiasm for working with factories (supply) and managing global customers (demand) in an offline manner to build the business.

Salary

• Compensation will be commensurate with experience and is competitive relative to the market, including both cash and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs).