Category Manager

Category Manager Product Development & Merchandising (Home, Bedding & Baby)

Pluchi is a premium D2C brand specializing in high-quality knitted textiles, baby essentials, and lifestyle home decor. We are looking for a sensible, commercially-minded, and execution-focused Category Manager to take complete ownership of our New Collections and Premium Packaging ecosystem.

This is not a pure graphic design or social media branding role. You will bridge the gap between creative design and operational reality. You will be responsible for bringing new knitted ranges to life, managing product lifecycles, and designing functional, premium unboxing experiences that scale smoothly from production floors to our customers' doorsteps.

Key Responsibilities

1. Collection Lifecycle & Assortment Planning (50%)

• Line Planning: Build and manage the Merchandising Calendar to ensure timely launches for seasonal collections (Baby/Kids & Home Decor).
• Sampling to Production: Coordinate closely with design, yarn sourcing, and knitting production teams to monitor sample development and ensure strict turnaround times (TAT).
• Commercial Viability: Analyze market trends, competitor pricing, and historical sales data to plan the optimum product mix, keeping gross margins and target price-points in mind.
• Vendor Alignment: Manage relationships with manufacturing units, ensure quality benchmarks are met, and resolve production bottlenecks.

2. Structural Packaging & Merchandising (50%)

• Unboxing Experience: Design, source, and optimize premium, functional packaging for our gifting ranges (e.g., newborn gift boxes, ribbon placements, branded muslin wraps).
• Structural Engineering: Ensure packaging is durable enough for transit (e.g., e-commerce courier handling) while maintaining a premium aesthetic.
• Cost & Vendor Management: Onboard and manage printing and packaging vendors. Negotiate costs (MOQs, plate charges, GSM requirements) to minimize packaging waste and optimize unit economics.
• Compliance & Sustainability: Ensure all product packaging complies with Indian regulatory standards (e.g., weight/dimension disclosures and plastic waste management rules)

Candidate Profile & Requirements

• Education: Degree in Fashion/Apparel Merchandising, Knitwear Design, or Product Design from Tier 1 or Tier 2 institute
• Experience: 5+ years of core product development, category management, or merchandising experience in Home Textiles, Premium Kids/Baby apparel, or D2C Lifestyle Retail.
• The "Sensible" Edge: Proven ability to read tech-packs, understand dielines/packaging structures, and manage strict Excel-based production trackers.
• Software Skills: Comfort with MS Excel/Google Sheets (for data and timelines) and working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop (to collaborate with creative designers).
• Mindset: A strong sense of ownership, high attention to detail, and a knack for balancing beautiful design with commercial cost-structures.