Category Manager

Category Manager interview questions

Your next team player will have experience in sales and/or marketing and if not, will show high-potential for training. They’ll have great industry insight, including knowledge of your product categories and how they compare to those of your competitors. Plus, they’ll have top communications and negotiation skills. 

Top tip: Diversity is key for a thriving workplace. Keep an eye out for management and exec-level candidates from varying backgrounds and aim to eliminate bias from your hiring process.

Role-specific interview questions

• What’s your marketing/supply chain/merchandising experience?
• What internal teams should a Category Manager collaborate with and why?
• How do we stand out against our competitors?
• How do you determine category ranging?
• How do you use PnL as a Category Manager?

Behavioral interview questions

• Describe a time you had to negotiate with a retailer.
• Tell us about a time you boosted sales for a product category.
• Have you ever sacrificed customer needs to ace a business objective?

Problem solving interview questions

• How would you create a category development strategy?
• How would you discover consumer trends?
• Check out this data sheet and tell us what trends you can spot.
• In-store shopping vs. online shopping: What’s the difference when it comes to your category planning?
• How would you determine product assortment and pricing to max out sales?
• How would you plan an exit strategy for an unpopular product?
• What would you do if you’d spot a low conversion rate on a new category web launch?