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Category Advisor Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Walmart Category Advisor

Livonia, MI · On-site

$76K - $120K/yr

Walmart Category Advisor Job Summary In the role of Walmart Category Advisor at Masco Corporation, you will influence Walmart's business plans and foster growth by providing outstanding data analysis ...

Requisition ID: 38978 In the role of Category Advisor (Category Insight Executive) working in Bentonville, AR , you will be part of the Walmart Category Advisor team. This is a high performing team ...

Requisition ID: 38978 In the role of Category Advisor (Category Insight Executive) working in Bentonville, AR , you will be part of the Walmart Category Advisor team. This is a high performing team ...

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Category Advisor information

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$45

How much do category advisor jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for category advisor in the United States is $25.93, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.51 and $29.81 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How much do category advisors make?

Category advisors typically earn between $50,000 and $80,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. They often require strong analytical skills and knowledge of market trends to succeed in their role.

What is a Category Advisor?

A Category Advisor is a specialist who works with retailers and suppliers to provide expert guidance on product assortment, pricing, promotion, and placement within a specific category. Their goal is to optimize the performance of a product category by analyzing data, market trends, and consumer behavior to recommend strategies that increase sales and profitability. Category Advisors often act as strategic partners, helping retailers make informed decisions to better meet customer needs and drive growth.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Category Advisor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Category Advisor, you need expertise in category management, data analysis, and a solid understanding of retail or consumer goods markets, often supported by a relevant degree in business or marketing. Familiarity with analytics tools such as Nielsen, IRI, and advanced Excel, along with experience using planogram and retail management software, is typically required. Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills help Category Advisors influence stakeholders and drive strategic recommendations. These competencies are crucial for optimizing product assortments, maximizing sales, and supporting collaborative retailer-supplier partnerships.

What does a category advisor do?

A category advisor analyzes market trends and consumer data to develop strategies for specific product categories. They collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to optimize product selection, pricing, and placement, often using data analysis tools. Their goal is to maximize sales and profitability within their assigned categories.

What are some common challenges Category Advisors face when working with cross-functional teams?

Category Advisors frequently collaborate with marketing, sales, supply chain, and merchandising teams to develop effective category strategies. A common challenge is aligning diverse priorities and data interpretations across departments, which can lead to conflicting objectives or slowed decision-making. Successful Category Advisors proactively communicate, build consensus, and use data-driven insights to bridge gaps and drive unified strategies. Building strong relationships and understanding each team's perspective are key to overcoming these challenges.

What jobs pay 4000 a week without a degree?

A Category Advisor role typically does not pay $4,000 a week without a degree, as it often requires specialized knowledge or experience. However, high-earning sales positions, certain freelance consulting, or skilled trades like real estate or technical trades may reach or exceed this income level through commissions or hourly rates, often without formal degrees but with relevant skills and certifications.

What kind of jobs in media bring in $150,000 a year?

High-paying media jobs that can earn $150,000 or more annually include senior roles such as media directors, executive producers, and digital marketing directors. These positions typically require extensive experience, strong leadership skills, and proficiency with industry tools like analytics platforms and content management systems.
More about Category Advisor jobs
What states have the most Category Advisor jobs? States with the most job openings for Category Advisor jobs include:
Infographic showing various Category Advisor job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 72% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 25% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,941 per year, or $25.9 per hour.
Category Advisor, Walmart

Category Advisor, Walmart

Readerlink Distribution Services

Oak Brook, IL • On-site

$110K - $127K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 5 days ago


ReaderLink rating

6.3

Company rating: 6.3 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

277th of 367 rated retail wholesalers


Job description

Description
The Category Advisor, Walmart drives category growth and strengthens our competitive position with our largest retail customer. You'll build strategic partnerships with Walmart merchant teams, translating complex data into compelling insights that influence merchandising, assortment, pricing, space allocation, and promotional strategies. This role offers significant visibility and impact, positioning category management as a competitive advantage while elevating our reputation for best-in-class analytics.
What You Will Be Doing:
  • Lead comprehensive category analysis leveraging Scintilla, Circana, and Walmart's proprietary data platforms to uncover growth opportunities and competitive threats across book categories.
  • Drive retailer sales growth by delivering actionable insights that directly influence Walmart's merchandising, assortment, pricing, and promotional strategies.
  • Build strategic partnerships with Walmart merchant teams, serving as their trusted category advisor for Line Reviews, QBRs, and strategic planning sessions. Act as the analytic liaison to the customer.
  • Deliver best-in-class dashboards tracking sales, market share, and business initiative impact; conduct deep-dive analyses on shopper behavior and basket patterns using household panel data. Perform ad hoc analysis with large data sets to call out and present key actionable insights.
  • Develop strategic planogram recommendations and lead assortment analyses combining merchandising theory, space-to-sales data, and category best practices.
  • Partner with .Com, Sales, Marketing, and Advanced Analytics teams to align category strategies with business objectives and support omnichannel growth.
  • Collaborate with the advanced analytics team to provide Retailer with Industry sales forecasts.
  • Conduct market research surveys and provide thought leadership to internal stakeholders on long-term category development strategies.
  • Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested.

What You Will Need:
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Analytics, Marketing, Finance, or related discipline is required.
  • Master's degree in Business Analytics, Marketing, Finance, or related discipline is preferred.
  • Minimum five (5) years of category management, shopper insights, or business analytics experience in CPG or retail; previous Walmart or top-tier mass merchant experience is required.
  • Minimum seven (7) years of experience as a category advisor is preferred.
  • Advanced proficiency with the Circana syndicated data platform; advanced Excel (formulas, pivot tables, data modeling) and PowerPoint (executive-level presentations) is required.
  • Ability to translate complex data into compelling stories that influence customer buying decisions; excellent communication skills with VP/C-level presentation experience is required.
  • Strong to advanced experience in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required.
  • Proficiency in Scintilla as a power user capable of designing research agendas and extracting actionable insights is preferred.
  • Working knowledge of category management technology: SQL proficiency; Power BI, Tableau, etc. experience; Blue Yonder Space Planning software is preferred.
  • CMA/SIMA certification is preferred.
  • Minimum one (1) year of experience in web analytics, consumer research methodology, and Numerator/Kantar household panel data is preferred.
  • Passion for books and the book category.
  • Strategic thinker with tactical execution skills; strong project management and ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities.
  • Creative problem-solver who thrives on challenges; proactive, highly organized, curious, and collaborative with strong time management.
  • Passion for books and the book category.
  • Team oriented with a "can do" attitude; comfortable with change, ambiguity, and continuous learning.
  • Ability to connect dots across data sources, drill down to root causes, and manage multiple priorities with different deadlines.
  • Must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Ability to speak with all levels of the organization and outside partners.
  • Ability to communicate complicated information to others.
  • Must be proficient in basic mathematics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
  • Ability to do algebra, calculate figures and amounts and apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
  • Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
  • A methodical and organized approach to problem-solving.
  • Must be able to work in a fast-paced, team environment.
  • Employee is occasionally exposed to vibration and dust.
  • Travel up to 20% is required (Seasonal variation based on customer meeting schedules).

Salary: $110,000.00 - $127,000.00
Employee Benefits Include But Are Not Limited To:
Health Plans - Medical, Dental & Prescription
Flexible Spending Accounts - Health & Dependent Care
Disability, Life and Accident Insurance
Vacation Pay & Paid Holidays
401(k) with Company Match
Author Events
Publisher-sponsored Book Club
ReaderLink is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or status as an individual with a disability. EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran.
ReaderLink is committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities and veterans. If you need an accommodation to assist with completing the electronic application, please email your request to [email protected], or call: (708) 356-3737.
ReaderLink is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. EOE/Minorities/Female/Disabled/Veteran.ReaderLink is committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities and veterans. If you need an accommodation to assist with completing the electronic application, please email your request to [email protected], or call: (708) 356-3737.

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