Senior Category Associate - B2B Education (227499)

We’re seeking a highly analytical, passionate, self-motivated individual to join our Education Category Management team on Wayfair Professional, the B2B arm of Wayfair. Wayfair Professional is a fast-growing business built just for Pros, with the mission of being the #1 destination for all furniture, fixtures and equipment purchases for every business in our 7 verticals: Commercial Office, Contractor, Interior Design, Accommodations, Property Management, Education and Foodservice. The Education Vertical serves K-12 Schools, Early Education Centers and Higher Education Institutions, and is focused on offering our customers an unbeatable selection, strong pricing, dedicated sales and service and an unmatched delivery experience.. You will be responsible for working with suppliers to grow their business on our platform, identifying new supplier and category opportunities, representing Wayfair Professional in external partner and supplier conversations , and working with multiple cross functional teams (Sales & Service, Brand, Marketing, Site Nav, Premium Catalog Merchandising, to name a few!) to achieve broader goals. You will also work closely with our K-12 lead to build out our K-12 offering (e.g., assortment, brand, merchandising) and develop our long-term strategy. We welcome applications from high caliber professionals who love digging into data to solve a problem, thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy cross-functional collaboration and are analytical and organized.

Who We Are

The B2B Category Management team offers a unique opportunity to drive strategy for Wayfair Professional’s customers segments and product categories through tight internal and external partnership. We know our customers cold (and often speak with them on calls, or hear their feedback indirectly through our Sales teams), and serve as ambassadors of the product categories we manage. We are at the forefront as the company redefines the supplier experience as a platform, giving suppliers more data, more transparency, and more control while retaining the high-touch elements that make working with us exceptional. Internally, we leverage a diverse set of cross-functional partners to execute our strategic vision. In a role on the Wayfair Professional B2B Category Management team, you will be expected to define overarching goals and strategy within your aisle and category, problem-solve, articulate and execute against tactical plans, manage key business metrics and work with cross functional teams. Members of the team must be able to expertly negotiate internally and externally, while also being effective project managers.

How is this opportunity unique?

The Category Management team interacts with our suppliers every day. We like candidates with consultative mindsets who want to work with external partners. Collaborative partnerships are a hallmark of a relationship with Wayfair. The B2B Category Management is oriented around specific customer segments in addition to categories, so you’ll be expected to work closely with our Sales partners to better understand your customer and their needs.Wayfair is a data-driven environment. Candidates with experience using data to drive decision-making are great matches.
We move fast and take risks. If you have experience at a start-up or in another fast-paced, risk-taking environment, you’d enjoy working at Wayfair. Be prepared to constantly evolve.
Strong communication is key. Category Associates have a 360° view into their suppliers and their category. You’ll need to be able to gain buy-in from senior leaders and cross-functional teams to accomplish your goals.
We like to have fun. Our team takes time each month to celebrate our wins and toast our accomplishments.  We foster an environment that values balance, and we encourage personal development by offering a broad spectrum of opportunities for continuous development and mentorship.

What makes our team different?

The Wayfair Professional Education Category Management team is focused on growing the business in both K-12 and Early Education segments. We work cross functionally with many teams such as Sales, Marketing, Site Navigation, Premium Content Merchandising, and other Category teams across the Wayfair ecosystem  in order to make data driven decisions and provide a best-in-class customer experience. The Category Associate can expect to work with 10+ suppliers across the K-12 and Early Education areas, attend 2-4 trade shows a year, and have a strategic focus on winning with K-12 public, private and charter schools. 

What You’ll Do

• Develop and enhance strategic B2B category plans to achieve revenue and profitability goals
• Analyze event and category performance to gain actionable insights and pivot business accordingly
• Conduct competitive and product c