How to hire a category analyst

How to hire a category analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step category analyst hiring guide:

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

What does a category analyst do?

Post a category analyst job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the category analyst you need to hire. Certain category analyst roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a category analyst to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a category analyst that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Category Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Category Analyst	Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.	$20-40
   Marketing Coordinator	A marketing coordinator supports the marketing department on deciding strategies and business efforts to develop the brand image and boost customer satisfaction. Marketing coordinators' duties include assisting in advertising campaigns, scheduling promotional events, monitoring sales status, researching current market trends, maintaining a record of existing and potential clients, and contributing ideas to improve the brand's profitability... Show more	$16-32
   Marketing Internship	Marketing interns are usually marketing students or fresh graduates who are interested in getting actual work experiences before taking on a full-time job. They usually have an interest or academic background related to marketing... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • IRI
   • Data Analysis
   • Analyze Data
   • POS
   • Business Reviews
   • Consumer Insights
   • Category Management
   • Strategic Sourcing
   • JDA
   • Category Reviews
   • Space Management
   • Business Planning
   • Market Trends

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Help manage open-to-buy with planner weekly through inventory requests, markdowns, and transfers.
   • Project manage and enhance IRI database including complete rework of all category classifications.
   • Manage relationships with primary suppliers including monitoring and purchasing commodities, forecasting, marketing initiatives and quality control.
   • Present findings to management from in-depth analysis of retail accounts using syndicate (IRI) and retailer proprietary data.
   • Develop and standardize analysis process, integrating POS data from a broad spectrum of retailers in a variance demographic of clusters.
   • Coordinate logistics activities relating to seasonal, agricultural, promotional, new items and discontinue programs.

   More category analyst duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, category analysts' average salary in hawaii is 58% less than in delaware.
   • Seniority. Entry-level category analysts earn 49% less than senior-level category analysts.
   • Certifications. A category analyst 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 a category analyst's salary.

   Average category analyst salary

   $60,658yearly

   $29.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level category analyst salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average category analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$86,000	$41
   2	California	$80,146	$39
   3	Minnesota	$79,772	$38
   4	Ohio	$74,640	$36
   5	Virginia	$73,040	$35
   6	Illinois	$71,732	$34
   7	Massachusetts	$71,156	$34
   8	New York	$71,122	$34
   9	Pennsylvania	$71,051	$34
   10	North Carolina	$69,644	$33
   11	Arkansas	$66,669	$32
   12	Colorado	$64,739	$31
   13	Texas	$62,241	$30
   14	Nebraska	$60,078	$29
   15	Michigan	$57,315	$28
   16	Arizona	$51,752	$25
   17	Georgia	$51,312	$25
   18	Missouri	$49,381	$24

   Average category analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$122,884	$59.08	58
   2	Micron Technology	$89,644	$43.10	8
   3	CVS Health	$89,538	$43.05	62
   4	Abbott	$79,157	$38.06	17
   5	The Kraft Group	$77,454	$37.24
   6	Stop & Shop	$70,886	$34.08
   7	Keurig Dr Pepper	$70,720	$34.00	10
   8	Mars	$67,859	$32.62	2
   9	Analysts	$67,802	$32.60
   10	Gillette	$67,024	$32.22
   11	Topco Associates	$66,997	$32.21
   12	Circle K	$66,984	$32.20	7
   13	WESCO Distribution	$66,802	$32.12	1
   14	StarKist	$66,655	$32.05
   15	Constellation Brands	$66,628	$32.03	10
   16	Rich Products	$66,425	$31.94
   17	Lowe's Companies	$65,981	$31.72	15
   18	Central Garden & Pet	$65,972	$31.72	2
   19	PepsiCo	$65,926	$31.70	4
   20	The Hershey Company	$65,834	$31.65	2

4. Writing a category analyst job description

   A category analyst 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a category analyst job description:

   Category analyst job description example

   As a Buyer- Category Analyst, you'll find innovative ways to manage the procurement of products through our vendors. You thrive on making processes more efficient and scalable, you work to ensure the highest level of quality of our operations and you proactively minimize operational risk. The Category Analyst monitors all assigned product during the entire purchasing cycle, from manufacturing to end customer. They establish product requirements with regard to normal customer movement and movement determined by advertised specials. The category analyst assigns purchase orders, works with logistics to arrange transportation, and secures delivery dates. The category analyst is also tasked with monitoring and maintaining inventory levels to an established inventory turn rate. The ideal candidate will be an assertive, detail-oriented individual with knowledge in their assigned category. We are specifically looking for a candidate with food purchasing experience.
   KEY RESPONSIBILITES:
   
   * Responsible for procurement of all items in assigned vendor listing
   * Analyze items from multiple vendors within specified guidelines
   * Communicate and collaborate with vendor and brokers when issues arise with product
   * Partner with Internal Departments to understand all assigned inventory to ensure that product is being stored properly, rotated properly, and product movement is consistent
   * Review and identify "buy-in opportunities"
   * Identify and gather information pertinent to the analysis of back haul opportunities
   * Maintain, analyze, and adjust the turn forecasting
   * Perform real time promotional analysis of ad items to ensure the highest service levels utilizing the least amount of inventory
   * Optimize Demand Planning tools to help achieve a proactive and adaptable approach to forecasting
   * Responsible for establishing product requirements with regard to normal product movement by customers and movement of product as determined by advertised specials
   * Monitors dates in order to minimize shrink
   * Responsible for maintaining fill rate and service levels in order to meet customer expectations
   * Coordinates disposition of substandard product, incoming or currently in the inventory, with inventory staff and vendor
   * Establishes relationships with a variety of vendors and brokers
   * Other tasks as needed
   
   POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
   
   * Associate degree required; Bachelor degree a plus
   * Food purchasing experience preferred
   * Intermediate to Advanced level of proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
   * Strong mathematical, problem solving and forecasting skills
   * Consistent record of analyzing and trouble-shooting complex systems or processes
   * Proven ability to work in a "Team-Based" or individual environment. Based on need of the department
   * Professional written and verbal communication skills
   * Must be able to read, write and understand English
   * Demonstrated capacity to successfully complete multiple tasks in a high-volume purchasing environment
   
   COMPANY PROFILE:
   
   Lipari Foods is a regional full-line deli, bakery, packaging, and grocery distributor, headquartered in Warren, MI. We are a premier store distributor, delivering 31,000+ food and packaging products to 28 states and 10,000+ retail accounts. We operate several manufacturing facilities from a USDA fresh food plant to facilities specializing in jar goods, cheese and confections. We are in your communities providing food to your stores and feeding your families and neighbors. And we are growing. Fast. In fact, Lipari Foods was recently named by Crain's Business as one of the fastest growing companies in Michigan, and we're not just growing in Michigan!
   
   We are looking for talent with a can do mindset, focused on growing a career, and interested in working on a diverse, dedicated team to create something greater collectively. Together, we are delivering more than great food to build a better tomorrow.
   
   Lipari Foods LLC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find category analysts for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any category analysts they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level category analysts with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting category analysts 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 category analyst

   Once you've decided on a perfect category analyst candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new category analyst. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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How much does it cost to hire a category analyst?