ReaderLink · 22 hours ago
Category Manager
Oak Brook, IL
Full-time
Onsite
Mid Level
$100K/yr - $112K/yr
4+ years expReaderLink is seeking a Category Manager to lead a cross-functional team within the Product Management Team. This role is responsible for overseeing the strategic review, title selection, and execution of adult book categories, ensuring alignment with company objectives through strategic planning and performance monitoring.
BooksLogisticsMarketingSales
Responsibilities
Set team goals in accordance with Readerlink’s strategic vision
Develop strategies coordinating with internal and external partners to build assortments with the greatest ROI for retailers and Readerlink based on customer strategies and goals
Train, mentor and manage day-to-day responsibility for team to ensure best in class practices, productivity and profitability
Oversee team’s assigned book categories, developing and executing category strategies that support overall business objectives and customer-specific goals
Conduct regular category and title-level reviews to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and recommend adjustments to assortments, pricing, and distribution
Develop category plans that incorporate market trends, seasonality, promotional calendars, and customer strategies
Negotiate terms with and on-board new publishers and external vendors
Participate in publisher product presentations and prepare summary reports and reference materials to support discussions with the publishers, guiding feedback and product development
Review selected titles for inclusion with team in category assortments, balancing editorial quality, commercial performance, and customer requirements
Manage lifecycle planning for titles, including new releases, reorders, markdowns, and exits
Support Sales teams by providing category insights, data-driven recommendations, and timely responses to customer requests
Customize assortments and category presentations to meet the unique needs of specific accounts
Collaborate closely with Shoppers Marketing, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Inventory Planning, and Operations to ensure accurate execution of category plans
Align with Shoppers Marketing team on category-level initiatives and merchandising strategies
Participate in customer meetings, line reviews, and presentations as the category subject matter expert when required
Analyze sales, margin, inventory turns, and other key performance indicators at both the category and title level
Prepare and deliver clear recommendations based on data analysis, consumer trends, and retailer feedback
Monitor category performance against forecasts and adjust plans as needed to improve results
Monitor and analyze space productivity to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and deliver data-driven insights and recommendations to key stakeholders
Develop PowerPoint presentations highlighting business performance, trends, and upcoming events or new releases for publishing partners, internal sales meetings, and retail customers
Must be able to handle multiple tasks and work appropriate hours to keep projects on schedule
Help build and maintain long-term relationships with our customers and publishers
Self-manage, prioritize, multi-task and work cross-functionally with other departments
Create presentations based on trends and upcoming events/new releases for our customers
Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Marketing or a related field is required
Minimum of four (4) years of experience in client service or vendor relations is desired
Ability to multitask and prioritize multiple projects/requests
Excellent interpersonal skills – in person, phone, email, presentations, etc
Adaptive, team player, and aggressive problem solver
High energy level with the ability to keep multiple projects on schedule
Self-starter with a high energy level, with the ability to prioritize and keep multiple projects on schedule
Strong to advanced experience in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required
Must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Ability to speak with all levels of the organization and outside partners
Ability to communicate complicated information to others
Must be proficient in basic mathematics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Ability to do algebra, calculate figures and amounts, and apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form
A methodical and organized approach to problem-solving
The work performed is in an office environment
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate at low decibels
Must be able to work in a fast-paced, team environment
Must be able to work independently on tactics and in high-functioning groups in a strategic direction
Employee is occasionally exposed to vibration and dust
Preferred
Minimum of two (2) years of experience in the sales field or buying experience is preferred
Minimum of two (2) years of experience with Microsoft Power BI is preferred
Benefits
Health Plans - Medical, Dental & Prescription
Flexible Spending Accounts - Health & Dependent Care
Disability, Life and Accident Insurance
Vacation Pay & Paid Holidays
401(k) with Company Match
Author Events
Publisher-sponsored Book Club
Company
ReaderLink
ReaderLink is a full-service distributor of hardcover, trade and paperback books to non-trade channel booksellers.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
ReaderLink has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2024 (1)
2021 (2)
2020 (2)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Dennis Abboud
President, CEO and Chairman
Recent News
2025-10-17
2025-10-09
Company data provided by crunchbase