What is a category supervisor and how to become one

Key steps to become a category supervisor

1. Explore category supervisor education requirements

   Most common category supervisor degrees

   Bachelor's

   66.8 %

   Associate

   15.7 %

   High School Diploma

   12.3 %

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2. Start to develop specific category supervisor skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Customer Service	21.35%
   Sales Floor	13.58%
   Merchandise Flow	9.94%
   Sales Associates	6.13%
   Sales Leadership	4.41%

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3. Complete relevant category supervisor training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New category supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a category supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real category supervisor resumes.

4. Research category supervisor duties and responsibilities

   • Manage relationships with primary suppliers including monitoring and purchasing commodities, forecasting, marketing initiatives and quality control.
   • Assist with and preform numerous responsibilities, including administrative, policy and procedures, personnel issues, payroll preparation and submission.
   • Demonstrate excellent customer sales lead (CSL) behaviors.
   • Conduct CSL and associate observations and provide feedback and coaching.

5. Apply for category supervisor jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a category supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams