Category Manager - Lennox International

Lennox (NYSE: LII)

Lennox is a division of Lennox International, Inc., a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration products sold around the globe. We are committed to being the easiest HVAC manufacturer to do business with, partnering directly with dealers who serve homeowners throughout North America.

About the role:

We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven Category Manager to join our team. The Category Manager will be responsible for developing and executing strategic initiatives to drive the growth, profitability, and overall performance of a specific product category. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of market trends, customer preferences, and competitive dynamics, combined with strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and execute the category strategy to align with short-term and long-term business goals.
• Regularly track category performance, including sales, inventory, margins, and other key metrics.
• Prepare detailed reports and presentations for senior management, outlining category performance, opportunities for growth, and actionable recommendations.
• Monitor and recommend pricing, promotions, and product positioning to enhance category profitability.
• Stay informed about industry trends, competitor activities, and changing consumer behaviors.
• Conduct in-depth market analysis to understand customer preferences, emerging trends, and the competitive landscape to inform category strategies.
• Oversee the full product lifecycle, from product introduction to end-of-life, making data-driven decisions for new products, updates, discontinuations, and replacements.
• Identify opportunities to reduce or expand the product assortment to optimize category performance, ensuring alignment with company goals and customer needs.
• Partner with marketing, merchandising, pricing, supply chain and sales teams to ensure seamless execution of category initiatives.
• Collaborate with the e-commerce and merchandising teams to enhance digital product listings, promotions, and online visibility.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers for product selection and promotions.

Skills:

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with a proven track record to interpret complex data.
• Proven ability to build and justify business cases through data-driven insights and clear financial rationale.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to influence internal teams and external partners.
• Experience with software tools such as Microsoft Office, Teams, SAP, Blue Yonder, Qlik Sense.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in category management, product management, program management or a related field.
• HVAC, building materials or appliance experience preferred.
• CPCA or CPCM certification preferred.

The Compensation range for this position is approximately $54,000k - $70,000k and will be based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and education.