From sales manager to category manager
26 of the 47 essential skills of a category manager are already essential for a sales manager — about 55% of the job, before you learn anything new.
These numbers compare two occupations, not you and a job. What you personally already cover depends on what you have actually done.
- 26
- skills carry over
- 21
- would be new
- 55%
- of the target job covered
- 47
- essential skills of a category manager
What a category manager does
Category managers define the sales programme for specific product groups. They research market demands and newly supplied products.
What carries over
26 skillsEssential in both jobs. This is the part of the move you have already made.
- align efforts towards business development
- analyse consumer buying trends
- analyse customer service surveys
- analyse external factors of companies
- analyse internal factors of companies
- analyse work-related written reports
- consumer goods industry
- content marketing strategy
- coordinate marketing plan actions
- corporate social responsibility
- create annual marketing budget
- define measurable marketing objectives
- evaluate marketing content
- identify potential markets for companies
- impart business plans to collaborators
- integrate marketing strategies with the global strategy
- integrate strategic foundation in daily performance
- manage profitability
- market pricing
- marketing mix
- perform market research
- plan marketing campaigns
- plan marketing strategy
- pricing strategies
- study sales levels of products
- track key performance indicators
What would be new
21 skillsEssential for a category manager and not for a sales manager. Note that the taxonomy describes activities rather than tools, so some of these may be things you already do under a different name.
- apply strategic thinking
- channel marketing
- collaborate in the development of marketing strategies
- company policies
- conflict management
- cost management
- develop product design
- ensure client orientation
- identify suppliers
- maintain relationship with suppliers
- manage budgets
- manage inventory
- market participants
- market research
- negotiate sales contracts
- perform multiple tasks at the same time
- perform product planning
- perform project management
- perform risk analysis
- select optimal distribution channel
- store design layout
Other moves from sales manager
2 roles- marketing manager27 skills in common
- online community manager27 skills in common
No account needed to start
How far are you from being a category manager?
MyNodes reads your CV once, maps it to this same taxonomy, and shows you which roles you are already closest to and the few skills that would open the most doors. The file is deleted as soon as it has been read.