Director, Category Expert

Director, Category Expert

(Hardlines · Home · ETS · Fashion · FCHW)

Position Summary

This position owns end-to-end category strategy for one L0 vertical for China sellers and serves as the day-to-day interface to U.S. Marketplace and Merchandising for that L0. The individual leads a team of L1 owners, converts whitespace into assortment growth, and carries category strategy, the Omni-Merchant HQ bridge, and supply & category intelligence with no hand-off gaps.

Mandate

Own category strategy, the MP-US Omni-Merchant L0-level interface, and supply & category intelligence for one L0 vertical, end-to-end with no hand-off gaps. Carry all three core responsibilities with focus weighted to the L0.

Essential Functions

An individual must be able to successfully perform the essential functions of this position with or without a reasonable accommodation.

A. Category Strategy & POV

• Define the L0 category development plan aligned with U.S. MP Team, merchant demand and store signals.
• Identify whitespace and convert it into recruitment and catalog-expansion priorities.
• Develop repeatable L1/L2 category frameworks and data-backed assortment pitches.

B. MP & Omni-Merchant Interface (L0 HQ bridge)

• Day-to-day point of contact to U.S. MP & Merch for the L0; own the flow - opportunity intake, playbook development, tracking, implementation, and report-back.
• Operate to clear timelines and SLAs; keep seller-facing XFN teams unblocked.

C. Supply & Category Intelligence

• Hold deep supplier-ecosystem knowledge for the L0 (capabilities, cost, speed-to-market, constraints).
• Spot trends and regulatory context that shape which categories scale and when.
• Maintain the cross-L0 view with the Demand Analytics & SI (Strategic Initiatives) team to drive adjacency-led growth.
• Scale via AI: feed L0 supply & category knowledge into the AI knowledge bank and use AI tooling to push playbooks and insights to frontline seller teams.

Team Building & People Development

• Manage and develop a team of L1 owners (Sr. Managers / Managers); balance workload across GMV-weighted books.
• Coach team members, provide feedback, and build succession within the L0.

Success Measures

• L0 GMV and in-demand SKU growth; whitespace converted; playbook adoption by XFN seller teams.

Key Skills

Category Management · Assortment Strategy · Vendor/Supplier Relationship Management · HQ Stakeholder Management · Whitespace Analysis · AI & Data Enablement · People Leadership

Leadership Expectations

An individual must be proficient in each of the competencies below to successfully perform the responsibilities of this position.

• Respect the Individual: Builds high-performing teams; embraces differences in people, cultures, and ideas; develops talent through feedback, coaching, and mentoring; builds strong, trusting, cross-functional relationships.
• Act with Integrity: Maintains the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and compliance; models Walmart values; ensures teams follow the law, code of conduct, and company policies; acts as a humble, self-aware servant leader.
• Serve our Customers and Members: Delivers business results while putting the customer/member first with an omni-merchant and Every Day Low Cost mindset; adopts a holistic, data- and insight-driven perspective.
• Strive for Excellence: Raises the bar and seeks continuous improvement; demonstrates curiosity and a growth mindset; supports the adoption of new technology and digital disruption in line with Walmart’s business model.

Requirements & Qualifications (this level)

• Experience: 10+ years in category management / merchandising / sourcing, incl. 5+ years managing people; deep domain expertise in the assigned L0.
• Category & Commercial: Owns L0-wide strategy and P&L logic; can build L1/L2 frameworks and defend assortment pitches with data.
• HQ Interface: Runs the day-to-day HQ bridge for the L0 to clear SLAs; strong written/verbal storytelling to U.S. merchants.
• Leadership: Manages and develops a team of L1 owners (Sr. Managers / Managers); balances workload across GMV-weighted books.
• Supply Knowledge: Deep familiarity with the relevant China industrial belts and supplier ecosystem for the L0.
• AI & Analytics: Strong GMV / sell-through / whitespace analysis; advanced Excel/Sheets; SQL/BigQuery a plus; champions AI tooling & the knowledge bank within the L0.
• Languages: English - professional working proficiency (required); Mandarin - native/fluent (required).

Minimum Qualifications (corporate baseline)

• Bachelor’s degree in business, retail, or related field and 5 years’ experience in category management, pricing, site merchandising, planning, or inventory planning OR 7 years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years supervisory experience.
• E-commerce / marketplace category experience.
• Master’s degree in business or a related field.

Role Structure

Reports to

Group Director, Category Expert

Direct reports

L1 Sr. Managers & Managers within the L0 (4-9 depending on L0)

Scope

One L0 vertical, end-to-end - all three core responsibilities

Location

Shenzhen, China

KPI

L0 category GMV · In-demand SKU growth · Playbook adoption

Physical Activities

The following physical activities are necessary to perform one or more essential functions of this position.

• Reads information, often in small print.
• Visually verifies information, often in small print.
• Creates documents and reports using a writing instrument or computer.
• Communicates effectively in person or by using telecommunications equipment.
• Presents information to small or large groups and individuals.
• Enters and locates information on a computer.
• Observes associate, customer, or supplier behavior.

Travel

• Travels domestically and internationally to and from multiple facilities or work-sites, which may require extended overnight stays.