Role Purpose

The Category Manager – Lenses will be responsible for driving growth, profitability, and market share of the spectacle lens and contact lens categories. The role involves end-to-end ownership of category strategy, assortment planning, pricing, new product development, vendor management, training support, performance tracking, and customer experience, ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer needs.

Key Responsibilities

1. Category Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute category growth strategies for spectacle lenses (SV, PAL, high index, premium lenses) and contact lenses.
• Identify growth opportunities through market trends, customer insights, and competitive benchmarking.
• Drive category expansion by improving penetration, upgrade mix, and premiumisation.
• Define short-term and long-term roadmaps aligned with overall business goals.

2. New Product Development (NPD) & Launch

• Plan and execute new product development and launches in collaboration with vendors and internal teams.
• Evaluate new technologies, materials, coatings, and innovations in lenses to stay competitive.
• Ensure timely launch, availability, and readiness across stores and channels.
• Track post-launch performance and take corrective actions if required.

3. Assortment & Product Mix Management

• Design and manage assortment architecture across Single Vision (SV), Progressive (PAL), Contact Lenses (CL), high index, and premium products.
• Optimize product mix with a strong focus on SV and PAL contribution.
• Ensure the right assortment by price tier, usage, prescription type, and customer segment.
• Rationalize underperforming SKUs while strengthening high-performing ranges.

4. Pricing & Promotions

• Define and manage pricing strategy based on product positioning, cost structure, and market demand.
• Plan, execute, and monitor promotional activities to drive volume and upgrades without impacting profitability.
• Regularly review pricing versus competitors and recommend adjustments where required.
• Ensure price consistency and clarity across channels and stores.

5. Financial & KPI Management

• Own key category KPIs including sales, gross margin, profitability, market share, and upgrade ratio.
• Monitor GM performance and identify cost and profitability drivers.
• Drive initiatives to improve margin through mix optimization, pricing actions, and vendor negotiations.

6. Supply Chain & Operations Coordination

• Track delivery TAT, order success rate, and fill rates for lenses.
• Identify and resolve supply-related issues impacting store operations or customer experience.
• Forecast demand based on seasonality, historical sales trends, and upcoming promotions.
• Work closely with supply chain teams to ensure optimal inventory availability.

7. Product Quality & Compliance

• Ensure product quality checks are conducted and key technical specifications are met.
• Address quality issues, defects, and vendor-related concerns promptly.
• Ensure compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.

8. Learning & Development (L&D) Support

• Collaborate with operations and training teams to train store staff on lens products and upgrades.
• Develop and share product guides, lens comparison charts, FAQs, and promotional toolkits.
• Enable frontline teams to improve sales conversion, customer confidence, and upselling.

9. Performance Tracking & Business Insights

• Monitor week-on-week category performance and identify trends.
• Conduct detailed city-wise and store-wise sales analysis, including high returns and product performance.
• Track key metrics such as returns, remakes, and customer complaints.
• Prepare and present weekly and monthly business review reports with actionable insights.

10. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Manage relationships with lens vendors covering pricing, NPD, marketing support, and operational efficiency.
• Negotiate commercial terms and ensure alignment on business objectives.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with sales, marketing, operations, supply chain, and finance teams.
• Drive product upgrades and enhancements based on market and customer demand.

11. Customer Experience & Feedback Management

• Track and analyze customer feedback, complaints, and returns related to lenses.
• Work closely with sales and operations teams to resolve customer issues efficiently.
• Use customer insights to improve product offerings, quality, and service delivery.
• Ensure that customer expectations are met and brand promises are consistently delivered.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of optical lenses and contact lens categories
• Analytical and data-driven decision-making
• Vendor negotiation and stakeholder management
• Strategic thinking with execution focus
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication
• Commercial acumen and customer-centric mindset

Educational & Experience Requirements

• Graduate / Postgraduate in Business, Marketing, or a related field
• 5–8 years of experience in category management, merchandising, or product management, preferably in optical, retail, or FMCG sectors

Suitable Profiles

• Professionals with experience in optical category management, especially spectacle and contact lens categories.
• Candidates with a proven track record in retail or FMCG category, product, or merchandising roles.
• Individuals who have managed end-to-end category strategy, including assortment, pricing, product development, and vendor management.
• Applicants with strong analytical, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Those with the ability to drive growth, improve margins, and enhance customer experience within the lens or contact lens market.