| Location | Rockville, MD |
YOU:
Act as if the universe is rigged in your favor
See new responsibilities as opportunities
Are happiest when busy
Figure out how to fix it, not who's to blame
See mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow
Enjoy spreading joy
WE:
Care more about attitude and work ethic than your experience
Love to promote from within
Have dynamic and interesting coworkers and customers
Have faith in people's potential
Make friends at work
Take pride in all of our 5 star reviews
The Category Specialist is responsible for tactical Category Management execution work and assisting with analytical and supplier-facing responsibilities. This role provides a clear advancement path to Associate Category Manager. This position builds core competencies in supplier management, product strategy, pricing, and data analysis through department meetings, training, one-on-one mentorship, and special projects focused on supplier negotiations and category analysis. This position is located in-office 5 days a week at our Central Store Support office (Rockville, MD).
Product & Assortment Support:
Manage item set-up process and documentation for new, seasonal and discontinued products
Maintain & organize supplier records, approved product lists, promotional calendars and certifications
Support item-level decisions and seasonal rollouts with the Category Manager
Supplier & Vendor Coordination:
Communicate with brands, brokers, and suppliers to verify product information and resolve pricing/paperwork issues
Assist with supplier onboarding and participate in vendor meetings
Maintain vendor contact database and internal supplier notes
Reporting & Analysis:
Create & share sales and performance reports for team use
Assist with basic analysis of cost, unit, sales, and margin data & track category trends
Learn to interpret SPINS data and identify product opportunities with guidance from the Category Manager
Conduct promotional and waste analysis, prepare Category Review data packages
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Support planogram updates and space planning with Merchandising
Coordinate with Supply Chain and Pricing for accurate product flow and cost setup
Communicate product recalls and updates to stores and other CSS teams
Track project tasks and deliverables using Asana and other internal tools
What we look for:
Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience
1-2 years' experience in retail, category support, merchandising or purchasing
Proficiency in Excel (including pivot tables, lookups and experience with large data sets) and Google Suite
Ability to interpret and organize data; interest in learning how to draw actionable insights
Organized, dependable, and detail-oriented
Comfortable juggling shifting priorities and deadlines
Strong verbal and written communication skills with internal teams and external suppliers
Self-motivated learner with initiative and curiosity
Interest in natural/organic products and MOM's values
The starting salary for this position is $65,000. We also offer a full range of benefits including:
Paid Time Off, plus holidays
Paid Pregnancy and Child Bonding Leave
30% employee discount
exceptional medical, dental, and vision plans
401k with company matching
and more!
MOM's participates in E-Verify (for more information, click here:E-verify participation and Right to Work).