Senior Category Manager
About the job
- A bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, Engineering, or a related field, plus 4 or more years of category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience; equivalent experience is also accepted.
- A master's degree in Business Administration, Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, or a related field, plus 6 or more years of category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience; equivalent experience is also accepted.
- Alternatively, a bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, Engineering, or a related field, plus 8 or more years of category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience; equivalent experience is also accepted.
- Own the Americas CPFR/ADP process end to end, including cadence, assumptions, consolidation, and publishing the demand signal.
- Ensure Sell-In revenue and gross margin targets are met or exceeded.
- Run monthly demand-plan reviews with each market-maker account and keep the consolidated plan within tolerance of their financial targets.
- Reconcile Sell-In and channel inventory to Sell-Through and weeks-of-supply targets, aligning signals across Sales, Channel Operations, Category, and Supply Chain.
- Own launch and end-of-life supply readiness, and build contingency and agility models that translate demand shifts into supply action.
- Establish and run a weekly operating cadence to synchronize supply and demand: Monday supply updates, Tuesday account outlook covering Sell-In and Sell-Through, Wednesday consolidated Americas Sell-In view versus plan, and Thursday readout to Worldwide Category.
- Continuously improve Sell-Through demand forecasting and channel-inventory monitoring.
- Own the Sell-In outlook by account within the consolidated Americas plan; account and category owners set Sell-Through and promotions by account.
- Provide context and insight behind the Sell-In plan, including its assumptions, drivers, and risks.
- Coordinate across North America account, operations, finance, supply chain, and marketing teams to align on one plan, leading through influence without authority across partner and direct teams.
- Partner with U.S. and Distribution/Canada account leads, including D&H, Ingram, and Synnex, to align Sell-In and inventory positions; own the cross-account process and consolidation while account leads retain the account relationships.
- Optimize Microsoft, distributor, and end-retailer inventory positions across the portfolio.
- At least 4 years of experience managing and expanding a category and achieving sales and profitability targets within a complex organization, such as a multinational or matrixed organization; equivalent experience is also accepted.
About the company
Microsoft builds workplace software, operating systems and cloud infrastructure for consumers, businesses and government agencies, from small organizations to global enterprises. Microsoft 365 combines Word and Excel with Teams communication and Copilot AI features, while Windows runs PCs and Surface supplies the company's own computers. Azure rents computing capacity, storage and databases to build and run web applications. Microsoft also sells Xbox consoles and games, collecting revenue through software licenses, subscriptions, usage charges and product sales. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Redmond, Washington
Founded
1975
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- US corporate staff receive education support: eligible, approved graduate coursework qualifies for up to $10,000 annually.
- Cloud demand expands: July 2026 results showed Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 43% year-over-year in fiscal Q4.
- Investment has an earnings cushion: July 2026 results reported $155.2 billion consolidated operating profit for fiscal 2026.
What critics are saying
- Performance reviews include security: every Microsoft employee must discuss their security contribution with their manager.
- Office flexibility depends on the role: Microsoft's postings specify requirements ranging from fully remote to fully on-site.
- Cloud capacity faces local limits: Microsoft describes power-grid delays and water constraints affecting US datacenter expansion.
What makes Microsoft unique
- Hybrid customers stay within reach: Azure Arc manages servers across customer datacenters and competing clouds.
- Developer reach extends beyond Azure: Microsoft's GitHub hosts code collaboration alongside AI coding tools.
- Professional data widens its business: Microsoft owns LinkedIn's recruiting, advertising and workplace-learning network.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Company Match
Professional Development Budget
Conference Attendance Budget
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
0%1 year growth
0%2 year growth
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