Senior brand manager vs category manager

The differences between senior brand managers and category managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a senior brand manager and a category manager. Additionally, a senior brand manager has an average salary of $118,740, which is higher than the $102,035 average annual salary of a category manager.

The top three skills for a senior brand manager include brand management, digital marketing and brand marketing. The most important skills for a category manager are strategic sourcing, category strategy, and supplier performance.

Senior brand manager vs category manager overview

	Senior Brand Manager	Category Manager
Yearly salary	$118,740	$102,035
Hourly rate	$57.09	$49.06
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	102,062	108,424
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	10	10

What does a senior brand manager do?

A senior brand manager is responsible for monitoring the initiatives of a brand management team to provide high-quality services for the client, creating brand awareness to the market, and adhering specifically to the target audience following clients' requirements. Senior brand managers evaluate the sales performance and impact of the team's marketing techniques and promotional content, adjusting strategies as needed to improve deliverables within budget limitations and agreed timetables. They also coordinate with clients and management for progress updates and identifying opportunities to achieve sales growth and maximum performance.

What does a category manager do?

Category managers are usually employed in the retail industry. They are primarily responsible for the sales enhancement of a specific group of products. The managers are involved in pricing, marketing, inventory, and vendor management. Their daily tasks include meeting with suppliers to talk about the plans, conducting orientation to the market research company, and updating category reports. Qualified applicants must have a degree in business administration or a related field as well as relevant job experience in a related job.

Senior brand manager vs category manager salary

Senior brand managers and category managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior Brand Manager	Category Manager
Average salary	$118,740	$102,035
Salary range	Between $88,000 And $158,000	Between $74,000 And $138,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Nevada
Best paying company	Roku	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	Media	Manufacturing

Differences between senior brand manager and category manager education

There are a few differences between a senior brand manager and a category manager in terms of educational background:

	Senior Brand Manager	Category Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	Marketing	Business
Most common college	University of Georgia	University of Georgia

Senior brand manager vs category manager demographics

Here are the differences between senior brand managers' and category managers' demographics:

	Senior Brand Manager	Category Manager
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 49.0% Female, 51.0%	Male, 55.7% Female, 44.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between senior brand manager and category manager duties and responsibilities

Senior brand manager example responsibilities.

Manage the development and execution of in-store media, POS, and other merchandising vehicles to drive product trial.
Develop and manage new health brand strategy including creation of healthcare professional/dietitian program.
Provide branding, copywriting, and marketing with a dash of technical advisory.
Measure and analyze ROI of marketing programs then work with agency and brand team on recommend improvements.
Lead the development of advertising, marketing, and sales promotion materials including copywriting, art direction, and production.
Act as marketing and customer advocate across global virtual teams ensuring campaign development trade-offs do not compromise ROI or marketing goals.

Category manager example responsibilities.

Lead team to manage predominantly seasonal fashion apparel by reacting to trends with appropriate buys and proactive exit strategies.
Manage and create purchase plans and OTB's.
Design and manage all BTL plans for the brands.
Manage multiple sources of data to mine for business voids and opportunities at both macro and micro levels.
Deliver profit and sales forecasts, manage merchandising budget, and used IRI data to produce optimal product mix.
Lead a high performance jewelry merchandising team in a digital commerce environment through television, e-commerce, and social media.

Senior brand manager vs category manager skills

Common senior brand manager skills

Brand Management, 8%
Digital Marketing, 7%
Brand Marketing, 6%
Project Management, 5%
Consumer Insights, 4%
Market Research, 4%

Common category manager skills

Strategic Sourcing, 8%
Category Strategy, 8%
Supplier Performance, 5%
Supplier Relationships, 4%
Customer Service, 4%
Cost Savings, 4%

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Senior Brand Manager
Senior Brand Manager vs Category Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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