Senior category manager vs category manager

The differences between senior category 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 category manager and a category manager. Additionally, a senior category manager has an average salary of $116,590, which is higher than the $102,035 average annual salary of a category manager.

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

Senior category manager vs category manager overview

	Senior Category Manager	Category Manager
Yearly salary	$116,590	$102,035
Hourly rate	$56.05	$49.06
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	66,599	108,424
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	10	10

What does a senior category manager do?

In a retail setting, a senior category manager is in charge of devising strategies to market different product categories. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with other departments to gather necessary data, performing market research and analysis to find new business opportunities, identifying the needs of consumers, and keeping abreast of the latest trends. Furthermore, as a senior category manager, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior category managers, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

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 category manager vs category manager salary

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

	Senior Category Manager	Category Manager
Average salary	$116,590	$102,035
Salary range	Between $83,000 And $162,000	Between $74,000 And $138,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Nevada
Best paying company	Devon Energy	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	Technology	Manufacturing

Differences between senior category manager and category manager education

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

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

Senior category manager vs category manager demographics

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

	Senior Category Manager	Category Manager
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 69.6% Female, 30.4%	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 category manager and category manager duties and responsibilities

Senior category manager example responsibilities.

Manage relationships, budgets and invoicing for multiple vendors, including the SEM & DR agency and strategic partners.
Lead a marketing team responsible for strategic planning and implementation of B2B and B2C marketing initiatives to achieve business goals.
Project manage large work streams incorporating data and technology to support all business analytics used across the organization.
Coordinate with SOX compliance team and internal & external auditors.
Review SOX documentation, including VISIO process flow diagrams to ensure accuracy.
Execute RFP process, price negotiation, business award, capacity and supply assurance.

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 category manager vs category manager skills

Common senior category manager skills

Category Strategy, 14%
Project Management, 9%
Strategic Sourcing, 8%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Internal Stakeholders, 4%
Supplier Management, 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 Category Manager
Senior Category Manager vs Category Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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