6 free templates across general, retail, procurement, e-commerce, senior, and director roles, with the retail-versus-procurement distinction the generic template farms blur. Download as DOCX.
A category manager job description has one distinction the generic template farms blur: category manager is two different jobs. A retail or FMCG category manager owns a product category the company sells, the assortment, pricing, and vendor negotiations behind it. A procurement category manager owns a category of spend the company buys, the sourcing strategy and supplier contracts behind it. Same title, different work, different candidates, and a posting that mixes them confuses both.
At FirstHR, we build templates that draw that line clearly and add the FLSA classification the boilerplate skips, with an honest note on who actually hires this role. The six below cover general, retail, procurement, e-commerce, senior, and director versions. The guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Category manager is two jobs: a retail/FMCG manager who owns a product category you sell (assortment, pricing, vendors) and a procurement manager who owns a spend category you buy (sourcing, RFX, savings). Both are strategic, scale roles hired mostly by larger companies, and both are almost always exempt. The growing-brand e-commerce version is the closest fit to a smaller company. Pay commonly runs $95k to $165k+. Download six versions as DOCX.
What a Category Manager Does
A category manager owns a category end to end: setting its strategy, managing the assortment or spend, analyzing performance, negotiating with vendors or suppliers, and driving the category's growth and profitability. The role is strategic and analytical, owning a whole category rather than executing individual transactions.
There is no dedicated federal occupation code for the role; the nearest is purchasing managers, which lists Category Purchasing Manager as a sample title. Retail and brand-oriented category roles map partly to marketing managers instead. The role is hired mostly by larger retailers, consumer-goods companies, and enterprises.
Retail vs Procurement Category Manager
Before writing anything, decide which of the two category-manager jobs you mean, because they share a title but little else.
Retail / FMCG category manager
Manages a product category
Owns a product category for a retailer or brand: assortment, pricing, promotions, planograms, and vendor negotiations. Hired by retailers and consumer-goods companies, mostly at scale.
Procurement / sourcing category manager
Manages a category of spend
Owns a category of purchasing (IT, facilities, marketing, logistics): sourcing strategy, RFX, supplier contracts, and savings. Hired by companies with a formal procurement function.
Sell or Buy?
The quickest test: is the category something the company sells or something it buys? A product category you sell points to the retail or FMCG version (assortment, pricing, planograms). A spend category you buy points to the procurement version (sourcing, RFX, savings). Pick one before writing the posting.
Category Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Across both versions, a category manager's duties cluster into four areas: strategy and planning, category management, vendor and supplier work, and analysis and partnership. The specifics differ (planograms for retail, RFX for procurement), but the strategic ownership of a category is common to both.
The clearest way to write a strong category manager posting is to be explicit about which of the two roles it is. Here is how they differ across the dimensions that matter for hiring.
Retail / FMCG
Procurement / sourcing
Manages
A product category (what you sell)
A spend category (what you buy)
Core work
Assortment, pricing, planograms, promotions
Sourcing strategy, RFX, contracts, TCO
Negotiates with
Vendors and suppliers of goods
Suppliers of indirect goods and services
Key metric
Sales, margin, inventory turns
Cost savings and total cost of ownership
Typical employer
Retailers and consumer brands
Companies with a formal procurement function
The takeaway: a generic template that blurs the two attracts a mix of mismatched candidates. Pick the version that fits your business and write the duties and metrics to match.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by type and level: general for a broad role, retail for a product category, procurement for a spend category, e-commerce for a marketplace brand, senior for a strategic category owner, and director for the leadership role. Use this guide to choose.
Category Manager
General baseline
The general version covering either a product or spend category, with the FLSA exempt note built in.
Retail / Grocery
Product category
For a retailer, with assortment, planograms, pricing, promotions, and vendor negotiation.
Procurement / Sourcing
Spend category
For a procurement function, with sourcing strategy, RFX, supplier contracts, TCO, and savings targets.
E-commerce / Amazon
Marketplace brand
For a brand selling on marketplaces, with listings, PPC, and channel P&L. The version closest to a growing smaller company.
Senior Category Manager
Major category
For an experienced manager owning a strategic category and mentoring others.
Category Director
Leads the team
For the leadership role that sets strategy across categories and manages a team.
Match the Template to the Role
A product category at a retailer: Retail / Grocery. A spend category in procurement: Procurement / Sourcing. A brand on Amazon and marketplaces: E-commerce / Amazon. A strategic category and mentoring: Senior. Leading the category team: Director. A broad posting: the general Category Manager. Whichever you pick, classify as exempt.
6 Free Category Manager Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company overview, position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compliance note, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets, set the reporting line, and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, retail, procurement, e-commerce, senior, and director. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Category Manager (General)
The general version covering either a product or spend category, with the FLSA exempt note built in.
Category Manager Job Description
CATEGORY MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Director of Category Management / Head of Merchandising / Procurement Director]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (salaried)
Compensation: $_____ per year
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[Company Name] is a [retailer / brand / company] in [City, State]. We are hiring
a Category Manager to own the strategy and performance of a product or spend
category.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Category Manager owns a category end to end: setting strategy, managing
the assortment or spend, analyzing performance, negotiating with vendors or
suppliers, and driving the category's growth and profitability.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own the strategy and performance of an assigned category
•Analyze sales, margin, or spend data to guide decisions
•Manage the assortment, pricing, or sourcing for the category
•Negotiate with vendors or suppliers and manage relationships
•Set and track category KPIs and targets
•Partner with sales, marketing, finance, and operations
•Identify growth, savings, and optimization opportunities
•Build category plans and present to leadership
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, or related field
•Several years of category, merchandising, buying, or sourcing experience
•Strong analytical and negotiation skills
•Experience with category data and planning tools
•Communication and stakeholder-management skills
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
A category manager is almost always exempt (salaried) under the FLSA, typically
the administrative or executive exemption, since the role manages a category
strategically and exercises independent judgment on matters of significance.
Given the pay level, the salary basis is easily met. Confirm classification by
the actual duties. This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ per year
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 2: Retail / Grocery Category Manager
For a retailer, with assortment, planograms, pricing, promotions, and vendor negotiation.
Retail / Grocery Category Manager Job Description
RETAIL / GROCERY CATEGORY MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Director of Merchandising / Category Management]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (salaried)
Compensation: $_____ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
A retail or grocery category manager owns a product category for a retailer:
the assortment, pricing, promotions, shelf strategy, and vendor relationships
that drive the category's sales and margin.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Retail Category Manager to own a product category.
You will manage the assortment and planograms, set pricing and promotions,
negotiate with vendors, analyze category performance, and grow sales and
margin.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own assortment, pricing, and promotions for the category
•Develop planograms and shelf strategy
•Negotiate terms, pricing, and promotions with vendors
•Analyze sales, margin, and turns to guide decisions
•Manage vendor relationships and new-item selection
For the leadership role that sets strategy across categories and manages a team.
Category Director Job Description
CATEGORY DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [VP of Merchandising / Chief Procurement Officer]
Leads: [the category management team]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (salaried)
Compensation: $_____ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
A category director leads category management across multiple categories or a
major division, setting overall strategy and managing a team of category
managers.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Category Director to lead our category management
function. You will set the overall category strategy, manage and develop the
category management team, own the portfolio's performance, and report results
to executive leadership.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Set the overall strategy across multiple categories
•Lead, manage, and develop a team of category managers
•Own the performance of the category portfolio
•Drive major vendor or supplier partnerships
•Set standards, processes, and KPIs for the team
•Partner with executive leadership on strategy
•Manage the category budget and resources
•Report portfolio performance to leadership
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree; advanced degree common
•Extensive category management or procurement leadership experience
•Proven team leadership and strategic planning
•Strong negotiation, financial, and analytical skills
•Executive communication and influence
COMPLIANCE NOTE
Exempt (salaried) under the FLSA executive exemption, since the role manages a
team and sets strategy. The salary basis is easily met, and the role typically
exceeds the highly compensated employee threshold. This is general information,
not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ per year
To apply, email __ with your resume.
FLSA Classification
The compliance picture for a category manager is mostly straightforward on the classification side, but worth stating plainly since the generic templates skip it. Four points belong in the hiring decision.
Almost always exempt (administrative or executive)
A category manager is exempt from overtime in nearly all cases, meaning salaried and not entitled to overtime pay. The basis is usually the administrative exemption, since the role manages a category strategically, owning assortment or spend, setting strategy, and making significant decisions, which is directly related to the management or general business operations of the company and involves the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. A category director who manages a team also meets the executive exemption. Given the pay levels typical for the role, the salary basis is met with a wide margin, so the duties clearly carry the classification. The one place to look twice is a junior or e-commerce role at a growing brand paid near the threshold, where you should confirm both the salary basis and the duties rather than assuming from the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
The salary basis is easily met
The federal salary threshold for exempt status is $684 a week, which is $35,568 a year, and there is a separate highly compensated employee threshold of $107,432 a year that makes the exemption analysis simpler at higher pay. Category manager pay typically runs well into the six figures for established roles, far above both thresholds, so the salary test is rarely the issue. Several states (California, New York, Washington, Colorado) set higher thresholds, but at category-manager pay levels those are also comfortably exceeded. The role still must be paid on a true salary basis to keep the exemption, rather than docked by the hour, but at these pay levels the salary basis is almost never the question. This is general information, not legal advice.
Watch the growing-brand e-commerce role
The classification deserves a second look in one scenario: a small or growing e-commerce or DTC brand hiring an e-commerce category or brand manager at a lower salary than the big-company norm. If that role genuinely owns category strategy and exercises independent judgment, exempt is correct, but if it is paid near the threshold and mostly executes defined marketplace tasks under direction, it could be non-exempt and owed overtime. Job titles do not determine exempt status; the actual duties and pay do. For a true category-owning role, exempt is usually right, but a growing brand should confirm rather than assume. This is general information, not legal advice.
Vendor access makes confidentiality and conflicts worth addressing
Beyond classification, a category manager negotiates with vendors and suppliers and sees sensitive pricing, cost, and contract information, which makes confidentiality and conflict-of-interest expectations worth building into the role and the onboarding. A signed confidentiality or NDA acknowledgment and a clear conflict-of-interest policy protect the business when someone holds negotiating authority and supplier relationships. These are good-practice onboarding items rather than employment-law requirements for hiring, but they belong in the job description and the onboarding for a role with this kind of vendor access. This is general information, not legal advice.
For an established category manager, exempt status is rarely in doubt: the duties clearly meet the administrative or executive exemption and the pay clears the salary basis with room to spare. The only place to check carefully is a junior or e-commerce category role at a growing brand paid near the threshold, which could be non-exempt if it mostly executes defined tasks. Classify by duties, not the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
Requirements and Qualifications
Most category manager roles expect a bachelor's degree plus several years of relevant experience, with the specifics shifting by type. Match the requirements to the version you are hiring.
Requirement
What to know
Education
Bachelor's in business, supply chain, or related
Experience
Category, buying, merchandising, or sourcing
Core skills
Analysis, negotiation, strategy, communication
Retail add-ons
Assortment, planograms, retail margin
Procurement add-ons
RFX, spend analysis, supplier management, TCO
Classification
Exempt (salaried); confirm at junior e-commerce level
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
How to Write a Category Manager Job Description
A strong category manager posting starts by deciding retail or procurement, picks the type and level, and classifies the role correctly. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Decide retail or procurement
A retail category manager owns a product category you sell; a procurement category manager owns a spend category you buy. Pick one; they are different jobs.
2
Pick the type and level
General, retail, procurement, e-commerce, senior, or director. Pick the matching template and describe your company and category plainly.
3
List the real duties
Strategy, category management, vendor or supplier negotiation, and analysis, with the specifics for your type: planograms for retail, RFX for procurement, PPC for e-commerce.
4
Classify as exempt
A category manager is almost always exempt under the administrative or executive exemption; the salary basis is easily met. Confirm duties, and look twice at a junior e-commerce role.
5
Set pay and post
Benchmark to type, industry, and seniority, and provide a good-faith range where pay transparency applies.
Category managers are paid well, reflecting the scale of the companies that hire them.
A Six-Figure, Scale-Driven Band
There is no federal wage code for category manager; the nearest benchmark, purchasing managers, had a median wage of about $139,510 a year as of May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under about $85,500 and the highest 10 percent over about $219,140 (BLS). By comparison, buyers and purchasing agents sit near $75,650.
Market estimates for category manager specifically commonly report averages from roughly $95,000 to over $165,000 a year depending on the source and whether the figure is base or total compensation, with senior, procurement-focused, and global roles ranging well into the $200,000s at large companies, and entry-level or smaller-company roles starting lower. The spread reflects industry, scale, function, and seniority. For a posting, benchmark to the specific type, industry, and seniority, and provide a good-faith range where pay transparency rules apply. National compensation surveys are a useful reference for detail.
Hiring a Category Manager
The category manager hire turns on three things the generic templates get wrong: the title covers two different jobs, it is a scale role hired mostly by larger companies, and the one smaller-company version (e-commerce) needs careful scoping. Here is what actually matters.
Decide whether you mean a retail or a procurement category manager, because they are different jobs
The title category manager points to two very different jobs, and the generic templates that rank for the term blur them together. A retail or FMCG category manager owns a product category, the things you sell, and is responsible for assortment, pricing, promotions, planograms, and negotiating with the vendors who supply those goods; the metric is sales, margin, and inventory turns. A procurement or sourcing category manager owns a category of spend, the things you buy, such as IT, facilities, marketing, or logistics, and is responsible for sourcing strategy, running RFX processes, negotiating supplier contracts, and delivering cost savings; the metric is savings and total cost of ownership. They share the word category and the idea of owning one strategically, but the work, the metrics, the systems, and the candidates are different. Before you write the job description, decide which one you need, because a retail category manager and a procurement category manager are not interchangeable, and a posting that mixes them will confuse strong candidates from both sides.
This is a scale role hired by larger companies, not a typical small-business hire
It is worth being honest about who hires category managers, because it shapes whether the role fits your company. The role exists to manage a category at enough scale to justify a dedicated strategic owner, so the typical employers are large retailers, consumer-goods companies, and enterprises with a formal procurement function, and the pay reflects that, commonly running well into the six figures. A small business of a handful of people does not usually hire a category manager, because it does not yet have a category large enough to need one; the buying or sourcing is handled by an owner, an operations lead, or a purchasing agent. The one place a smaller and growing company appears is the e-commerce or DTC brand selling on marketplaces, which may hire an e-commerce category or brand manager to own a category or brand across Amazon and other channels, though even those companies are often past the very small stage. If you are a small business that buys goods or services, a purchasing agent or a buyer is more likely the role you need than a category manager; the category-manager title signals a level of scale most small companies have not reached.
If you are a growing e-commerce brand, scope the role and classification carefully
The one realistic smaller-company scenario for this title is a growing e-commerce or DTC brand hiring an e-commerce category or brand manager to own a category or brand across marketplace and direct channels: listings, advertising, inventory, and the channel P&L. If that is you, two things are worth getting right. First, scope: be clear about which channels (Amazon, Walmart.com, Shopify, DTC) and which part of the P&L the role owns, because the title spans everything from a hands-on listing-and-PPC operator to a strategic brand owner, and the candidate you want depends on which you mean. Second, classification: a role that genuinely owns category strategy and exercises independent judgment is exempt, but a more junior, execution-focused version paid near the salary threshold could be non-exempt and owed overtime, so confirm against the actual duties and pay rather than assuming from the title. Because this role negotiates with vendors and handles sensitive pricing and contract data, a confidentiality acknowledgment and a clear conflict-of-interest expectation are also worth building into the offer and onboarding.
Key Takeaways
Category manager is two different jobs: a retail/FMCG manager who owns a product category you sell, and a procurement manager who owns a spend category you buy. Decide which you mean first.
Both are strategic, scale roles hired mostly by larger retailers, consumer-goods companies, and enterprises with a formal procurement function; pay commonly runs $95k to $165k and higher.
A category manager is almost always exempt under the FLSA administrative or executive exemption; the salary basis is easily met, so the duties do the real work.
The growing-brand e-commerce or Amazon category manager is the version closest to a smaller company, but even those brands are often past the very small stage.
For a small business that buys goods or services, a purchasing agent or buyer is usually the more fitting role than a category manager.
The one classification to look at twice is a junior or e-commerce category role paid near the threshold, which could be non-exempt if it mostly executes defined tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a category manager do?
A category manager owns a category end to end, setting its strategy and driving its performance, but what the category is depends on the type of role. The duties cluster into four areas: strategy and planning (owning the category strategy, building plans, finding growth and savings opportunities), category management (managing assortment, pricing, or spend, developing planograms or sourcing plans, tracking KPIs), vendor and supplier work (negotiating terms and contracts, managing relationships, selecting items or suppliers), and analysis and partnership (analyzing sales, margin, or spend data, partnering across functions, presenting to leadership). A retail or FMCG category manager applies this to a product category they sell, focusing on assortment and margin, while a procurement category manager applies it to a category of spend they buy, focusing on sourcing and savings. The role is strategic and analytical, owning a category rather than executing individual transactions. This page includes general, retail, procurement, e-commerce, senior, and director templates. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a retail category manager and a procurement category manager?
The simplest way to tell them apart is to ask whether the category is something the company sells or something it buys. A retail or FMCG category manager owns a product category that the company sells: they manage the assortment, pricing, promotions, and planograms, negotiate with the vendors who supply those goods, and are measured on sales, margin, and inventory turns. A procurement or sourcing category manager owns a category of spend that the company buys, such as IT, facilities, marketing, or logistics: they develop the sourcing strategy, run RFI, RFP, and RFQ processes, negotiate supplier contracts, and are measured on cost savings and total cost of ownership. Both own a category strategically and both negotiate, but the work, the systems, the metrics, and the candidate pools are different. The generic templates that rank for category manager tend to blur the two or lean retail, which is why a posting should pick one clearly. If you are not sure which you need, decide whether the role is about what you sell or what you buy. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small businesses hire category managers?
Rarely, and the title is a signal of scale. A category manager exists to own a category that is large enough to justify a dedicated strategic owner, so the typical employers are large retailers, consumer-goods companies, and enterprises with a formal procurement function, and the pay commonly runs well into the six figures. A small business of a handful of people usually does not hire one, because its buying or selling is not yet at the scale that needs a dedicated category strategist; that work is handled by an owner, an operations lead, or a purchasing agent or buyer. The one smaller-company scenario where the title appears is a growing e-commerce or DTC brand that hires an e-commerce category or brand manager to own a category or brand across Amazon and other marketplace channels, though even those companies are often past the very small stage. If you run a small business and need help buying goods or services, a purchasing agent or buyer is usually the more fitting role than a category manager. Match the title to the actual scale of the work. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a category manager exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
A category manager is exempt in nearly all cases, meaning salaried and not entitled to overtime. The basis is usually the FLSA administrative exemption: the role manages a category strategically, owning assortment or spend, setting strategy, and making significant decisions, which is directly related to the management or general business operations of the company and involves the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. A category director who manages a team also meets the executive exemption. Because category manager pay typically runs well into the six figures, far above the $684-a-week federal salary threshold and often above the highly compensated employee threshold of $107,432 a year, the salary basis is met easily and the duties test does the real work. The one scenario worth a second look is a junior or e-commerce category role at a growing brand paid near the threshold, where you should confirm both the salary basis and the duties rather than assuming exempt from the title. Classify by actual duties and pay. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is an e-commerce or Amazon category manager?
An e-commerce or Amazon category manager owns a category or brand across marketplace and direct-to-consumer channels, rather than on a physical retail shelf or in a procurement function. The role typically owns the channel P&L for its category and manages product listings and content, pricing, marketplace advertising (such as Amazon PPC), inventory and forecasting by ASIN or SKU, and the organic ranking, conversion, and reviews that drive sales. It works in platforms like Amazon Seller or Vendor Central, Walmart.com, and Shopify, and coordinates with supply chain, marketing, and creative. This is the version of the category manager role most likely to appear at a growing e-commerce or DTC brand rather than only at large enterprises, which makes it the closest fit to a smaller company, though many brands hiring it are already past the very small stage. Because the title spans everything from a hands-on listing-and-advertising operator to a strategic brand owner, a posting should be clear about which channels and which part of the P&L the role owns. This is general information, not legal advice.
What skills and qualifications should a category manager have?
Most category manager roles expect a bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, or a related field, plus several years of relevant experience, and the core skills are strong analytical ability, negotiation, strategic planning, and stakeholder communication. The specifics depend on the type. A retail or FMCG category manager needs category management, buying, or merchandising experience, familiarity with category data and planogram tools, and an understanding of retail margin and assortment strategy. A procurement category manager needs strategic sourcing experience, comfort with RFX processes, spend analysis, supplier management, and contract negotiation. An e-commerce category manager needs marketplace experience, familiarity with Seller or Vendor Central, listings, and PPC, and an understanding of channel P&L. A senior category manager adds proven strategic and negotiation depth, and a category director adds team leadership. Match the qualifications to the specific type and seniority you are hiring rather than using a generic list, since the wrong requirements either deter strong candidates or attract mismatches. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a category manager make?
Category managers are paid well, reflecting the scale of the companies that hire them. Estimates vary by source and by whether the figure is base pay or total compensation, but commonly reported averages run from roughly $95,000 to over $165,000 a year, with senior, procurement-focused, and global roles ranging considerably higher, well into the $200,000s at large companies. Entry-level and smaller-company roles start lower. There is no dedicated federal wage code for category manager; the nearest official benchmark is purchasing managers, which had a median wage of about $139,510 a year as of May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under about $85,500 and the highest 10 percent over about $219,140, and O*NET lists Category Purchasing Manager as a sample title under that occupation. Retail and brand-oriented category roles map partly to marketing managers instead. The wide spread reflects how much the role varies by industry, scale, function, and seniority. For a posting, benchmark to the specific type, industry, and seniority, and provide a good-faith range where pay transparency rules apply. National compensation surveys are a useful reference. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a category manager and a purchasing agent or buyer?
The difference is one of scope and level. A purchasing agent or buyer is more transactional, focused on buying specific goods or services, placing orders, managing purchase orders, and handling day-to-day supplier interactions, and it is hired across a wide range of companies, including small businesses with a single buyer. A category manager sits a level above that: rather than executing individual purchases, they own the strategy for an entire category, whether a product category they sell or a spend category they buy, set the direction, negotiate the major terms, and are measured on category-level outcomes like margin or savings. The pay reflects the difference, with buyers and purchasing agents at a median around $75,650 and purchasing managers, the nearest match for category managers, around $139,510 as of May 2024. For a small business, a purchasing agent or buyer is usually the more fitting role, since the category-manager title implies a scale of category and strategic ownership that larger companies need. Match the role to the level of work, not just the function. This is general information, not legal advice.
