Sephora Category Manager
- Location
- Düsseldorf North Rhine-Westphalia Germany
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Posted
- Sep 29, 2026
About Sephora
Sephora is a global prestige beauty leader, renowned for redefining the retail experience through creativity, inclusivity, and expert service. Founded in France and now part of LVMH, the company brings together an exceptional portfolio of beauty brands with a distinctive culture of discovery and innovation. As an employer, Sephora offers a dynamic, customer-centered environment where talent is encouraged to learn, experiment, and grow across retail, digital, merchandising, operations, and corporate functions. Its teams are united by a passion for beauty, entrepreneurship, and belonging, making Sephora a compelling workplace for professionals seeking impact within a fast-moving international brand.
Category Manager at Sephora in Düsseldorf—lead beauty assortment strategy, supplier partnerships, and cross-channel merchandising for Europe's prestige beauty leader.
Role & Responsibilities
- Own assortment strategy and manage product lifecycle across retail and e-commerce channels
- Build and develop strong supplier partnerships through structured business reviews and performance tracking
- Analyze market trends, consumer behavior, sales data, and budgets to identify commercial opportunities and mitigate risks
- Drive merchandising concepts, floor plans, and localization strategies for stores, corners, and new store openings
- Ensure high-quality execution of merchandising standards and lead continuous process improvement initiatives
- Serve as key interface between local teams and Paris HQ, fostering strong cross-functional stakeholder relationships
- Lead collaborative initiatives with marketing, visual merchandising, sales, CRM, and digital teams for product launches and campaigns
- Monitor and drive KPIs including sustainable sales growth, margin performance, inventory turnover, stock accuracy, and product availability
Qualifications
- Minimum 3 years of professional experience in category management, buying, merchandising, or a comparable commercial role
- Strong understanding of product positioning, brand strategy, trade marketing, and sales principles
- High analytical capability with proficiency in data interpretation and financial analysis
- Advanced MS Office proficiency, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
- Fluent in both German and English with excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strategic mindset balanced with hands-on execution capabilities
Skills
Experience
Minimum 3 years of professional experience in category management, buying, merchandising, or a similar commercial role involving product strategy, brand partnerships, and sales-driven decision-making.
Education
Not specified; typically bachelor's degree in business, marketing, retail management, or a related discipline expected.
Workplace
This position is based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Benefits
Staff discounts on Sephora products, fitness partnerships, continuous learning and development opportunities, professional training programs, hybrid working arrangement.
Culture
Sephora fosters a dynamic, inclusive workplace where creativity, curiosity, and a passion for beauty are encouraged at every level. As an employer, it is distinguished by its focus on empowerment, continuous learning, and a collaborative retail culture that celebrates individuality and client-centric innovation.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Sephora, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Merchandise Manager», «Product Category Specialist», «Buying Manager», «Assortment Manager», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.