What does a category analyst do?
A category analyst is responsible for evaluating the category management systems to improve efficiency and maximize the productivity of distribution departments and achieve the highest customer satisfaction. Category analysts coordinate with suppliers and third-party vendors, negotiate pricing contracts, research on current market trends for product selection, and maintain the adequacy of stock inventories. They also develop cost-reduction techniques by conducting data analysis and studying the current operational policies. A category analyst works closely with the marketing and sales team to identify business opportunities, implementing promotional techniques, and increase brand awareness to the public market.
Category analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real category analyst resumes:
- 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.
- Analyze POS trends at various levels and across specific geographical regions to identify opportunities for category growth.
- Transform data into stories through effective use of data visualization, simplification and understanding of intend audiences.
- Evaluate sales and inventory performance in order to maintain open-to-buy projections, vendor forecasts and properly allocate merchandise
- Supervise analysts in the creation of category metrics reports and setting KPI and sales objectives across the department.
- Work with key accounts and the EDI department to ensure receipt of weekly point of sale.
- Partner with several internal departments within the organization to collaborate and improve EDI processes for new and existing customers.
- Develop category procurement sourcing strategies, KPI's to impact performance, safety and continuous improvement of contract providers.
- Perform analytical research of the syndicated market and/or retail data to effectively evaluate wine performance in the market.
Category analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Category Analysts are proficient in PowerPoint, IRI, and Data Analysis. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Analytical skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Category Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- PowerPoint, 14%
Execute monthly Cycle Review PowerPoint Presentations for clients.
- IRI, 7%
Identified and analyzed distribution gaps and opportunities through gathering and compiling data from IRI (Information Resources, Inc) database.
- Data Analysis, 5%
Performed retail scan data analysis to identify consumer purchasing behavior in support of the Category Manager and manufacturing partners.
- Analyze Data, 5%
Review and analyze data from Strategic Supplier to ensure its accuracy and distribute appropriately.
- POS, 5%
Analyzed POS trends at various levels and across specific geographical regions to identify opportunities for category growth.
- Business Reviews, 3%
Generated Private Label business reviews, category reviews and additional reporting and analysis as needed or requested by Director.
Common skills that a category analyst uses to do their job include "powerpoint," "iri," and "data analysis." You can find details on the most important category analyst responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. The most essential soft skill for a category analyst to carry out their responsibilities is detail oriented. This skill is important for the role because "market research analysts must pay attention to minutiae to evaluate data." Additionally, a category analyst resume shows how their duties depend on detail oriented: "create presentations for holiday and category review detailing account results and highlighting opportunities. "
Analytical skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling category analyst duties is analytical skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "market research analysts must evaluate large amounts of data and information related to market conditions." According to a category analyst resume, here's how category analysts can utilize analytical skills in their job responsibilities: "transformed data into stories through effective use of data visualization, simplification and understanding of intended audiences. "
Communication skills. This is an important skill for category analysts to perform their duties. For an example of how category analyst responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "market research analysts must be able to clearly convey information when gathering material, interpreting data, and presenting results to clients." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a category analyst: "position requires computer skills (apollo, excel, powerpoint, and word) close communication with category managers and buyers. ".
The three companies that hire the most category analysts are:
- Acosta11 category analysts jobs
- Johnson & Johnson8 category analysts jobs
- Keurig Dr Pepper7 category analysts jobs
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Compare different category analysts
Category analyst vs. 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. A marketing coordinator must have excellent critical thinking and writing skills to help with the creation of social media advertisements and marketing content. It also requires impressive time-management and multi-tasking skills, especially on meeting deadlines and making adjustments on the initial plans as needed.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a category analyst are more likely to require skills like "iri," "data analysis," "analyze data," and "business reviews." On the other hand, a job as a marketing coordinator requires skills like "digital marketing," "customer service," "marketing campaigns," and "email campaigns." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Marketing coordinators tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $53,831. In contrast, category analysts make the biggest average salary, $66,382, in the education industry.The education levels that marketing coordinators earn slightly differ from category analysts. In particular, marketing coordinators are 4.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a category analyst. Additionally, they're 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Category analyst vs. 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. They assist marketing teams in most of their daily activities, sit in their meetings, record minutes of these meetings, take note of action plans, and attend other events related to marketing. They also assist in preparing collateral and other marketing materials, join brainstorming sessions, or any other activity that will help enrich their experience.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real category analyst resumes. While category analyst responsibilities can utilize skills like "iri," "analyze data," "pos," and "business reviews," marketing interns use skills like "digital marketing," "facebook," "marketing campaigns," and "press releases."
Marketing interns may earn a lower salary than category analysts, but marketing interns earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,333. On the other hand, category analysts receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $66,382.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Marketing interns tend to reach lower levels of education than category analysts. In fact, they're 5.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Category analyst vs. Research internship
A research intern is responsible for assisting the research team with conducting an investigation, compiling information, and analyzing results for an organized research study. Research interns' duties also include understanding the work processes and operation procedures, sharing strategies and recommendations on research methods, reaching out to appropriate research correspondents, managing clients' inquiries and concerns, keeping important client records for reference, studying current market trends, and maintaining the eagerness to learn. A research intern must have strong attention to detail and excellent communication skills to perform on daily research tasks.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from category analyst resumes include skills like "iri," "pos," "business reviews," and "consumer insights," whereas a research internship is more likely to list skills in "python," "c++," "research intern," and "java. "
Research interns earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $52,879. Category analysts earn the highest pay from the education industry, with an average salary of $66,382.When it comes to education, research interns tend to earn similar degree levels compared to category analysts. In fact, they're 3.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Category analyst vs. Marketing assistant
A marketing assistant's general responsibility is to support the marketing programs and campaigns by sharing recommendations and useful insights to improve the brand's image. Marketing assistants' duties also include reaching out to other personnel for necessary files needed on promotional advertisements, assist the team in creating designs and developing content, publishing brochures for potential clients, analyzing sales reports, and researching the current market trends. A marketing assistant should have excellent organizational and time-management skills to meet deadlines and perform various tasks as required.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between category analysts and marketing assistants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a category analyst might have more use for skills like "iri," "data analysis," "analyze data," and "business reviews." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of marketing assistants require skills like "customer service," "marketing campaigns," "facebook," and "trade shows. "
The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for marketing assistants, with average annual pay of $43,819. Comparatively, the highest category analyst annual salary comes from the education industry.The average resume of marketing assistants showed that they earn lower levels of education compared to category analysts. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 5.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.Types of category analyst
Updated January 8, 2025
