Category Manager

Role Overview

This role sits within Ninjacart’s fulfillment vertical, which connects farm procurement with retail delivery. The team focuses on buying produce from farmers and supplying it to retailers while helping farmers receive fair value and ensuring retailers get market-quality produce at their doorstep. The business model is proven, but it needs to be adapted to the size and geography of each market.

As the Category Manager, you will own the sales and margin performance of the categories assigned to you. The role calls for a strong understanding of customer needs so you can offer the right assortment, pricing, and value proposition. You will also work on market understanding, assortment planning, seasonal changes, virtual customer engagement, source optimization, and margin improvement to help drive customer profitability.

Ninjacart describes itself as a pioneer in agritech and a leading agri-platform built on technology and data. The company focuses on solving key ecosystem challenges such as information gaps, payment friction, distribution inefficiency, and discovery of buyers and sellers through tech-first solutions.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of category P&L measures, including category sales, penetration, overall margins, and inventory control.
• Build and manage category assortments based on regional and city-level needs.
• Study data and market signals to identify consumer and industry trends.
• Create long-term plans for category growth and development.
• Identify underperforming products and define exit plans where needed.
• Build strong vendor relationships to improve pricing and service quality.
• Coordinate with marketing teams on competitive pricing and promotional actions.
• Own budget planning and revenue outcomes for the assigned category.
• Use sound procurement practices to improve margins, vendor coverage, and working capital efficiency.
• Handle closure of TOT with brands, negotiate promotions and pricing, and drive additional income opportunities while securing strong price support for market competitiveness.
• Lead the launch and ongoing performance of private-label products across multiple categories.
• Maintain product replenishment and availability while keeping inventory within company policy.
• Plan and execute campaigns, offers, and customer engagement activities to support business goals.
• Work closely with the sales team to ensure key business metrics are achieved.
• Lead, motivate, and support the team toward goal delivery.
• Coach and mentor team members while identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement, self-learning, efficiency, and productivity.

Requirements

• MBA from a Tier 1 or Tier 2 institute.
• 3 to 6 years of experience in FMCG sales, B2B, or category management.
• Mandatory background in both the FMCG industry and startup environments.
• Strong understanding of customer segments, buying behavior, category products, pricing, B2B sales, and vendor management.
• Ability and initiative to work with numbers, identify patterns, and solve business problems proactively.

Additional Information

Ninjacart says it is building a workplace where people can realize their potential regardless of background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity. The company states that it is committed to equal opportunity and believes diversity strengthens the workplace and supports employees, communities, and business goals.