How to hire an assistant category manager

How to hire an assistant category manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant category manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant category manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant category manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The assistant category manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An assistant category manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, assistant category managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of assistant category manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Assistant Category Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Category Manager	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.	$25-45
   Manager, Strategy	A strategy manager is a professional who reviews a company's objectives for growth and works with executives to formulate actionable plans to achieve these objectives. To make comprehensive recommendations, strategy managers must conduct data analysis of the organization as well as the overall industry... Show more	$37-73
   Manager	Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department... Show more	$17-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • IRI
   • POS
   • Gross Margin
   • Category Strategies
   • Vendor Relationships
   • JDA
   • Category Management
   • Product Development
   • Competitive Analysis
   • Store Operations
   • Market Trends
   • Pricing Strategy
   • Category Sales
   • Assist Category

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage purchase orders, while negotiating contracts for optimal ROI.
   • Manage relationships with primary suppliers including monitoring and purchasing commodities, forecasting, marketing initiatives and quality control.
   • Evaluate and convey the success of promotion execution through IRI and dunnhumby analysis.
   • Aid in the management of assign category, including product launch coordination, POS displays, and interdepartmental coordination.
   • Coordinate new product launch details for national sales meeting including all POS material, sell sheets and promotional vehicles.
   • Utilize Nielsen and internal sales indicators to analyze category trends to develop customer actionable strategies for impact against retail channels.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your assistant category manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An assistant category manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, assistant category managers' average salary in montana is 33% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level assistant category managers earn 45% less than senior-level assistant category managers.
   • Certifications. An assistant category manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an assistant category manager's salary.

   Average assistant category manager salary

   $71,249yearly

   $34.25 hourly rate

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   Entry-level assistant category manager salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing an assistant category manager job description

   An assistant category manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an assistant category manager job description:

   Assistant category manager job description example

   Pet Food Express is looking for Assistant Category Manager (ACM) to join our Merchandising Department. Reporting to the Merchandising Operations Manager, the person chosen for this junior level role will gain career-making experience in Category Management and build a strong network of industry contacts. The ideal candidate is a confident, independent self-starter with competitive drive, someone who takes initiative, has a high sense of urgency, and the ability to make decisions and take responsibility for them. The ACM must be flexible, solution and idea driven with the ability to react and adjust quickly to changing conditions. If this description sounds like you, apply today!
   What you'll do:
   
   * Provide assistance to Category Managers. Prepare Product to Market documentation, including item setup information and input; creating and vetting product data, preparing and analyzing needed reports.
   * Vendor management tasks such as meeting preparation and planning; you'll work with Category Managers to meet specific vendor meeting goals; create agendas, custom reports and other documentation needed for vendor meetings
   * Communicate regularly, build and maintain strong relationships with vendors through use of email, video conferencing and phone conversations to problem solve, verify inventory, collect funds, etc.
   * Plan, coordinate, communicate and execute planogram resets for assigned categories as needed. Jointly own project execution and successfully navigate roadblocks
   * Work closely with Category Manager to ensure all risk associated with projects and timelines are known and addressed and issues/concerns are escalated to CM in a timely manner
   * Assist with inventory management, including working to transfer product into and out of the planogram room
   * Facilitate, promote and leverage collaboration across all levels of PFE (from stores to executives) and between PFE and vendors to achieve department and company goals
   
   What you'll bring:
   
   * A passion for Pet Products - you truly understand their features, benefits and how each product can help or hinder PFE's category and company goals
   * Results-oriented thinking; the ACM understands the importance of continual progress towards the general goal and that a project must remain on track.
   * A proactive, diligent approach and focus to achieve highly accurate work, especially when working on item and project management
   * A strong sense of urgency with an intuitive ability to prioritize and understand and anticipate your Category Manager's needs when clear direction has not been provided
   * A collaborative approach with a strong understanding of team cohesion, dynamics and interpersonal relations
   * Strong interpersonal, active listening and communication skills with the ability communicate clearly and effectively with employees, management and vendors
   * Self-motivation and the ability to respond positively and proactively to challenges and pressure; you have confidence in your ability to handle novel problems and work effectively with people
   * Analytic skills with the ability to think objectively and interpret meaningful themes from quantitative and qualitative data
   * A knack for influencing & negotiation; you have the ability to present ideas and directions that lead others to action
   * Natural problem-solving and decision making capabilities and a positive mindset; you're able to use rigorous logic and methods to effectively solve problems and take action that aligns with department and company vision and goals
   * High degree of technical ability to work with software applications, especially related to Excel including the development of tables, spread sheets, formulas, custom reporting, interfaces, and data transfer
   * Outstanding organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize work with a high sense of urgency, attention to detail and maintain flexibility in a fast-paced work environment
   
   What you'll love:
   
   * Management that cares about your professional development
   * Competitive compensation including vacation time, paid holidays and sick time.
   * A generous employee discount
   * Health insurance, 401k match, profit sharing, and other great benefits-even pet insurance!
   * Dog-friendly office with on-site dog park
   
   About the Company
   
   We're Pet food Express, and we're transforming our customers' relationships with their pets. How? With exactly right products, helpful services, and expert advice for even the toughest pet problems. Since 1986, our commitment to purpose over profits has driven our decades-long history of continuously strong growth. We do what's right for our customers and their pets. Everything else follows. Sound like the right fit? We'd love to hear from you.
   
   This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associates/leaders assigned to this job perform. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities.
   
   Pet Food Express is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Pet Food Express is a place where everyone can learn and grow. However you identify and whatever your background, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come to work every day.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right assistant category manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with assistant category managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assistant category managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant category manager job on Zippia to find and attract quality assistant category manager candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting assistant category managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant category manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the assistant category manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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