Sephora Director, Category Management
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Director
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Posted
- Apr 23, 2026
About Sephora
Sephora is a leading global beauty retailer and a selective retail brand within the LVMH portfolio, operating an omni‑channel network of flagship stores and digital platforms across multiple markets. The SEA organisation supports rapid regional growth, combining curated brand assortments, experiential retail and data‑driven commercial practices to serve diverse beauty consumers across Asia Pacific.
Sephora — Director, Category Management in Singapore. Lead APAC category strategy, brand portfolio and commercial negotiations.
Role & Responsibilities
- Define and lead category strategy across SEA to drive growth, space productivity, profitability and category penetration informed by market trends, consumer insight and sales analytics.
- Manage and optimise the brand portfolio with emphasis on Surge and Exclusive brands, ensuring differentiation and strategic mix across channels.
- Lead commercial negotiations and establish clear pricing principles and contractual frameworks with suppliers and selective brand groups.
- Conduct joint business planning with partners, including promotional animations, seasonal calendars and launch roadmaps for new and existing brands.
- Optimise assortment, SKU productivity and lifecycle management to maximise sell‑through and margin contribution.
- Develop a robust brand and campaign calendar, planning meaningful new brand introductions and incremental business initiatives.
- Collaborate closely with Supply Chain and Planning teams to align forecasting, inventory health and replenishment to commercial targets.
- Build, lead and develop a high‑performing team of managers and professionals, owning talent reviews, succession planning and capability development.
- Present category plans and performance to senior stakeholders and influence cross‑functional partners to implement strategic priorities.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or a related discipline.
- Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in category management, retail buying, merchandising or a closely related commercial function.
- Proven track record of developing and implementing category strategies that deliver growth, margin expansion and market share gains.
- Demonstrated experience managing brand portfolios, supplier relationships and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
- Strong capability in assortment optimisation, pricing strategy, product lifecycle management and joint business planning.
- Experience collaborating with Supply Chain on forecasting and inventory planning to achieve healthy stock levels.
- Leadership experience with direct management responsibility, including talent development and performance management.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills; able to influence across markets and multicultural teams.
- Solid financial acumen, including budgeting, financial analysis and P&L responsibility.
Skills
Experience
Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in category management, retail buying or merchandising, with demonstrated leadership of teams and proven commercial impact in multi‑market retail environments.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or related field.
Workplace
The role is situated in Singapore, Central, Singapore.
Culture
Sephora cultivates an inclusive, consumer‑centric culture that values diversity, creativity and professional growth. The organisation emphasises empowerment, continuous learning and cross‑functional collaboration to inspire innovation and deliver compelling customer experiences.
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 «Head of Category Management», «Category Director», «Director of Merchandise Strategy», «Head of Merchandising — Category», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.