Category Leader (Merchandising) - Home Office
Top Benefits
About the role
What makes us so great?
We’re a private, Canadian-owned company employing over 3600 Team Members. We’re known for providing our customers with the most unique assortment of products, unrivaled customer service and exceptional value – for nearly 100 years.
We forge relationships that last – this is one of the things we enjoy most about our jobs. We call our employees “Team Members” and our managers “Leaders”. We are resourceful and authentic. We build trust by staying true to our word and providing Royal Service every chance we get.
You won’t find our unique combination of products and people anywhere else.
Our Home Office (located at 475 Panet Rd.) matches our personality - welcoming, a little quirky and full of energy. With access to free parking, an on-site gym & salon, bottomless coffee at the grill, and a games facility – work feels a little bit more like home.
So what’s this role all about?
As a Category Leader, you will lead a team of 3 Buyers. You will be responsible for providing overall vision, direction and bottom-line results for a specific set of categories of merchandise within the Princess Auto assortment. Ultimately, this means you will provide a consistently improving selection of merchandise that builds on Princess Auto’s unique image and ensures profitable growth.
Key accountabilities include:
- Reviewing with each Buyer all product lines before activation of items for sale in stores across Canada or only certain locations; reviews include discussion on opening buy discounts, payment terms, logistics, footprint at stores, program notice to stores, Vendor incentives, government approvals, event plans, container quantities etc.
- Developing optimal strategic and tactical fit of each department within the flyer to ensure best overall impact to the Customers
- Reviewing advertising and marketing strategies in regards to certain products with Buyers
- Collaborating with many Home Office departments in the roll out process of new product lines
- Traveling to current and potential Vendors and trade shows to examine products for immediate purchase keeping in mind Buying Teams programs and overall direction of Princess Auto
- Directing and executing miscellaneous projects involving the merchandising team, such as hierarchy changes and development
- Overseeing research as appropriate to identify potential new supply sources and products and services
- Leveraging the vendor relationship in terms of core assortment, unique items, sales support, additional funding and Guest research
- Building and maintains strong relationships with internal and external key stakeholders
- Being accountable for department budget
A few other things we’re looking for:
- 6-10 years’ experience as a Buyer with a national or regional retail chain
- Post-secondary education and/or Certified Professional Purchaser (CPP) designation an asset
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
- Strong judgment and decision making skills
- Ability to effectively present ideas and negotiate with ease
- Ability to travel
What’s in it for you?
We’ll offer you a competitive salary and top-notch company paid benefits. You’ll also participate in annual profit sharing, a variety of savings plan options, and we’ll match contributions to your pension as soon as you’re eligible. You’ll get a Team Member store discount on your first day, and other great perks too.
Ready to join us? We’re actively hiring to fill this open role—apply today, we’re ready to meet you!
Voted one of Canada’s Best Employers 2025 by Forbes
Accessibility
Princess Auto Ltd. will consult with all applicants requesting accommodation during the recruitment process to ensure that the accommodation provided takes into account the applicant’s individual accessibility needs.
#HP
About Princess Auto
We provide hard-working Canadians with a unique assortment of tools and equipment through more than 50 stores coast-to-coast, a National Call Centre, and our online store.
We serve the tradespeople, farmers, inventors and industrial workers that keep our country going. We aim to provide the tools and equipment you need at an exceptional value, and offer an unrivalled experience backed by our Royal Service Promise: "No sale is final until you’re satisfied". That means we will gladly repair, replace, or refund any product to your satisfaction. We mean it.
We call employees Team Members, to remind us all that we’re in this together. Yes, we’re here to work — but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way. So, if you’re the type who wants to get to know the people you work with and become part of a team that’s committed to providing second-to-none service, you’ll probably fit in around here.
We don’t have a lot of rule books at Princess Auto — in fact, there’s really only one rule: always try to do the right thing. For our customers and for each other. So, if you’re good at figuring things out on your own, but aren’t afraid to ask for help when you can’t, and most importantly — you have a can-do attitude — you’re the type of person we want to welcome to our team.
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Category Leader (Merchandising) - Home Office
Top Benefits
About the role
What makes us so great?
We’re a private, Canadian-owned company employing over 3600 Team Members. We’re known for providing our customers with the most unique assortment of products, unrivaled customer service and exceptional value – for nearly 100 years.
We forge relationships that last – this is one of the things we enjoy most about our jobs. We call our employees “Team Members” and our managers “Leaders”. We are resourceful and authentic. We build trust by staying true to our word and providing Royal Service every chance we get.
You won’t find our unique combination of products and people anywhere else.
Our Home Office (located at 475 Panet Rd.) matches our personality - welcoming, a little quirky and full of energy. With access to free parking, an on-site gym & salon, bottomless coffee at the grill, and a games facility – work feels a little bit more like home.
So what’s this role all about?
As a Category Leader, you will lead a team of 3 Buyers. You will be responsible for providing overall vision, direction and bottom-line results for a specific set of categories of merchandise within the Princess Auto assortment. Ultimately, this means you will provide a consistently improving selection of merchandise that builds on Princess Auto’s unique image and ensures profitable growth.
Key accountabilities include:
- Reviewing with each Buyer all product lines before activation of items for sale in stores across Canada or only certain locations; reviews include discussion on opening buy discounts, payment terms, logistics, footprint at stores, program notice to stores, Vendor incentives, government approvals, event plans, container quantities etc.
- Developing optimal strategic and tactical fit of each department within the flyer to ensure best overall impact to the Customers
- Reviewing advertising and marketing strategies in regards to certain products with Buyers
- Collaborating with many Home Office departments in the roll out process of new product lines
- Traveling to current and potential Vendors and trade shows to examine products for immediate purchase keeping in mind Buying Teams programs and overall direction of Princess Auto
- Directing and executing miscellaneous projects involving the merchandising team, such as hierarchy changes and development
- Overseeing research as appropriate to identify potential new supply sources and products and services
- Leveraging the vendor relationship in terms of core assortment, unique items, sales support, additional funding and Guest research
- Building and maintains strong relationships with internal and external key stakeholders
- Being accountable for department budget
A few other things we’re looking for:
- 6-10 years’ experience as a Buyer with a national or regional retail chain
- Post-secondary education and/or Certified Professional Purchaser (CPP) designation an asset
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
- Strong judgment and decision making skills
- Ability to effectively present ideas and negotiate with ease
- Ability to travel
What’s in it for you?
We’ll offer you a competitive salary and top-notch company paid benefits. You’ll also participate in annual profit sharing, a variety of savings plan options, and we’ll match contributions to your pension as soon as you’re eligible. You’ll get a Team Member store discount on your first day, and other great perks too.
Ready to join us? We’re actively hiring to fill this open role—apply today, we’re ready to meet you!
Voted one of Canada’s Best Employers 2025 by Forbes
Accessibility
Princess Auto Ltd. will consult with all applicants requesting accommodation during the recruitment process to ensure that the accommodation provided takes into account the applicant’s individual accessibility needs.
#HP
About Princess Auto
We provide hard-working Canadians with a unique assortment of tools and equipment through more than 50 stores coast-to-coast, a National Call Centre, and our online store.
We serve the tradespeople, farmers, inventors and industrial workers that keep our country going. We aim to provide the tools and equipment you need at an exceptional value, and offer an unrivalled experience backed by our Royal Service Promise: "No sale is final until you’re satisfied". That means we will gladly repair, replace, or refund any product to your satisfaction. We mean it.
We call employees Team Members, to remind us all that we’re in this together. Yes, we’re here to work — but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way. So, if you’re the type who wants to get to know the people you work with and become part of a team that’s committed to providing second-to-none service, you’ll probably fit in around here.
We don’t have a lot of rule books at Princess Auto — in fact, there’s really only one rule: always try to do the right thing. For our customers and for each other. So, if you’re good at figuring things out on your own, but aren’t afraid to ask for help when you can’t, and most importantly — you have a can-do attitude — you’re the type of person we want to welcome to our team.