Category Manager Hardgoods

Mayesh•Romulus, MI

11d

About The Position

The Category & Purchasing Manager – Hardgoods leads the strategy, purchasing, and performance of Mayesh’s hardgoods and floral supplies category across multiple locations. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the role combines strategic sourcing, vendor negotiations, product assortment planning, pricing, inventory optimization, and data-driven decision-making to improve profitability, product availability, and operational consistency. The manager works with Branch Managers, Hardgoods Leads, Operations, and Business Systems to establish purchasing standards, strengthen supplier partnerships, and build scalable processes that support company growth, new branch openings, and acquisitions. Mayesh Wholesale Florist has operated in the floral industry since 1938 and has been family-owned since 1978. The company has approximately 400 team members and locations across multiple states, providing fresh flowers, floral supplies, and hardgoods to professional florists and floral businesses nationwide. The role includes periodic travel to branch locations and suppliers. Mayesh describes the opportunity as taking ownership of a key business category and influencing purchasing and inventory strategy across a growing, multi-location organization, working directly with executive leadership and teams throughout the business.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in category management, purchasing, merchandising, inventory management, or strategic sourcing.
Experience negotiating vendor contracts, pricing, and supplier programs.
Ability to analyze sales, margins, inventory, and purchasing data to drive business results.
Experience managing large product assortments or SKU portfolios across multiple locations.
Proficiency with ERP, inventory management, and reporting systems.
Strong communication, negotiation, analytical, and project management skills.
Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive change without direct authority.
Willingness to travel periodically to branch locations and suppliers.

Nice To Haves

NetSuite experience.
Experience in floral, wholesale distribution, retail, agricultural products, or related industries.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute category strategies that drive sales growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
Manage product assortment, pricing, promotions, and product lifecycle decisions.
Research market trends, competitor offerings, and emerging products relevant to professional florists.
Identify opportunities to expand high-performing products and eliminate underperforming items.
Oversee purchasing strategies, replenishment practices, forecasting, and inventory investment across branches.
Improve inventory turns and product availability while managing working capital and minimizing excess, obsolete, and slow-moving stock.
Establish consistent purchasing guidelines and recommend stock levels based on demand and seasonality.
Coordinate with branches to balance inventory, reduce stockouts, and improve fulfillment.
Develop and maintain strategic supplier partnerships.
Negotiate pricing, payment terms, freight, rebates, volume discounts, and promotional programs.
Evaluate supplier performance, product quality, lead times, and reliability.
Identify alternative sourcing opportunities and mitigate supply chain risks.
Manage company-wide SKU creation, product data, naming conventions, units of measure, and assortment standards.
Review new product requests, substitutions, and assortment exceptions.
Partner with Operations and Business Systems to maintain accurate product data and improve purchasing processes.
Collaborate with Branch Managers and Hardgoods Leads to improve merchandising, purchasing practices, and category performance.
Visit branches as needed to assess inventory, identify opportunities, and support training.
Develop and report key performance indicators, including sales, gross margin, inventory turns, stock availability, and vendor performance.
Present data-driven recommendations to executive leadership and support new branch openings and acquisitions.