About Us
JR Toy Company is one of Canada's most trusted retailers of educational, science, and learning toys, dedicated to inspiring curiosity and imagination through play. With our flagship store in Burlington, Ontario, and a growing eCommerce business, we offer a carefully curated selection of innovative, high-quality products while delivering exceptional customer experiences. Our collaborative team is passionate about bringing the best products to families and creating a workplace where employees can learn, grow, and make an impact.
Position Summary
The Associate Category Manager is responsible for supporting the day-to-day management and execution of the JR Toys category while assisting the Senior Category Manager across additional categories as business needs require. This role is responsible for purchasing, inventory management, vendor relationships, merchandising, product administration, and category analysis to help drive performance across our retail stores and eCommerce channels.
Working closely with the Senior Category Manager, the Associate Category Manager will take ownership of the JR Toys category while contributing to broader category initiatives and supporting cross-functional merchandising projects. The successful candidate is highly organized, analytical, and collaborative, with the ability to balance strategic thinking and operational execution in a fast-paced retail environment.
Key Responsibilities
Category Management
- Manage and support the day-to-day management and execution of the JR Toys category.
- Develop and maintain product assortments that meet customer needs and support sales and profitability.
- Create and maintain product listings, including managing the Microsoft Dynamics NAV import process for new SKUs and ensuring product information is accurate and up to date.
- Monitor inventory levels and analyze in-season sales performance to recommend replenishment and purchasing decisions.
- Create and issue purchase orders while coordinating with vendors, warehouse, and operations teams to ensure timely receipt of inventory.
- Coordinate inbound shipments with the warehouse team and schedule store deliveries as required.
- Review and optimize the online assortment to improve product availability and customer experience.
- Support seasonal product launches, promotional activities, and merchandising initiatives.
- Analyze sales, inventory, and product performance to identify opportunities for increased sales, improved inventory productivity, and category growth.
- Prepare weekly sell-through reports during the holiday season to support replenishment planning.
- Participate in seasonal planning and post-season reviews to identify key learnings and improve future assortments.
- Act as the key cross-functional liaison between Merchandising, Operations, Warehouse, Finance, eCommerce, and Customer Service, ensuring alignment on purchasing, inventory, product launches, and operational priorities.
Category Support
Support the Senior Category Manager across additional merchandising categories by:
- Assisting with purchasing, inventory management, and assortment planning as required.
- Supporting product launches, promotions, and merchandising initiatives.
- Preparing sales analysis, inventory reporting, and category performance reviews.
- Assisting with seasonal planning, forecasting, and purchasing decisions.
- Providing operational support during peak business periods and special projects.
Vendor Management
- Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers.
- Communicate with vendors regarding purchase orders, shipment status, product availability, pricing, delivery schedules, product issues, and credit requests.
- Monitor vendor performance and escalate supply issues where required.
- Assist with vendor reporting and promotional coordination.
- Identify opportunities to improve vendor performance, product assortment, and profitability.
Merchandising & Product Administration
- Maintain accurate product information across all internal systems and digital channels.
- Support assortment planning, pricing analysis, and competitive market research.
- Assist with promotional planning and execution.
- Coordinate vendor approvals and support seasonal marketing initiatives.
- Ensure product data accuracy across internal systems and digital platforms.
Inventory & Operational Support
- Maintain category trackers and reporting tools.
- Monitor inventory performance and provide recommendations to optimize stock levels.
- Support warehouse, customer service, and operations teams by providing timely purchasing and product information.
- Assist with cross-functional projects and provide support across merchandising categories during peak business periods.
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone with experience in category management, buying, merchandising, or purchasing who is ready to take ownership of a product category while continuing to develop under the mentorship of a Senior Category Manager. The ideal candidate has experience managing vendors, purchasing inventory, and supporting merchandising strategies in a fast-paced retail or consumer goods environment.
The successful candidate will bring:
- 2–5 years of experience in category management, buying, merchandising, purchasing, or a related retail role.
- Post-secondary education in Business, Retail Management, Supply Chain, or a related discipline is an asset.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
- Experience managing inventory, purchase orders, forecasting, and vendor relationships.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel; experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV or similar ERP systems is an asset.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to collaborate across multiple teams.
- The ability to prioritize competing deadlines and thrive in a fast-paced, seasonal retail environment.
- A proactive, customer-focused mindset with a passion for product, merchandising, and continuous improvement.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary at $70,000, based on experience and qualifications.
- Opportunities for career growth and professional development, including expanded category responsibility over time.
- A collaborative, team-oriented environment where your contributions make an impact.
- Comprehensive group benefits plan.
- Paid vacation and personal time off.
- Employee purchasing discounts.
- The opportunity to work with well-known seasonal and lifestyle product categories in a dynamic retail environment.
This role is a new vacancy.
JR Toy is committed to promoting accessible recruitment as outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. JR Toy will make every effort to accommodate persons with disabilities in an appropriate and effective manner throughout all stages of the recruitment process. Accommodation will be provided upon request.
Pay: $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
Work Location: In person
