Senior Category Manager, Merch Operations

About this Role:

As a Senior Manager in Merchandise Operations at Parachute, you will lead a team responsible for building and managing our catalog of products and services, as well as our Insurance Coverage Criteria rules engine. This role requires a balance of people management as well as hands-on individual contributor work, team support, and quality assurance responsibilities. You will be accountable for strategic execution, GTM coordination, team development, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure our platform offers a comprehensive range of offerings aligned with market demand and business growth strategies. Leveraging data analytics, you'll co-lead our team’s revenue generation through strategic insights and data-driven decision making. This role requires exceptional project management, communication, and leadership skills to drive high-quality outcomes while developing a high-performing team.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Merchandise Operations specialists, providing clear direction, regular feedback, and growth opportunities
• Establish and maintain a performance-driven culture with transparent expectations, regular check-ins, and constructive feedback
• Clearly document performance conversations and ensure alignment between management expectations and team understanding
• Foster an environment that encourages innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Proactively find areas of confusion in the team and provide clarity via Standard Operating Procedures
• Collaborate with other Merchandise leaders to ensure consistency in processes, standards, and approaches across sub-teams

2. Strategic Catalog Management:

• Oversee in-depth analysis and research within the DME categories of Ostomy, Urology, Incontinence, and Wound Care. You will become a subject matter expert in product is-ness (how products exist including their physical attributes), as well as product application (how patients, vendors, clinicians, payors, and manufacturers interact with your product categories).
• Build and maintain the digital catalog in our Content Management System (CMS). You will analyze and organize various types and volumes of data, sourced from manufacturers and suppliers, to create product listings in our catalog. You will ensure accuracy, completeness, and usability of this catalog data.
• Lead the development and execution of data-driven catalog strategies that transform Merch into a revenue generator by continuously optimizing content based on performance metrics, performing strategic analysis to identify high-value SKUs and growth opportunities, and collaborating with internal stakeholders to identify and prioritize strategic areas for business expansion, such as new product categories or markets
• Ensure robust category documentation

3. Insurance Coverage Criteria Management:

• Oversee the analysis of complex insurance coverage criteria requirements for assigned categories
• Ensure accurate implementation of coverage criteria into our rules engine
• Stay informed about regulatory and industry changes, proactively implementing updates to maintain compliance while validating that coverage criteria implementations meet both regulatory requirements and user experience standards

4. Project Management Excellence:

• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans with clear milestones, dependencies, and ownership
• Drive consistent follow-through on initiatives from conception to completion
• Proactively communicate status updates, risks, and blockers to stakeholders
• Implement systems to track project progress and ensure timely completion of deliverables
• Balance multiple priorities effectively while maintaining high quality standards

5. Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Serve as a strategic partner to Product Management, Engineering, Account Management, and Customer Success teams
• Lead collaborative initiatives to enhance catalog quality, usability, and performance
• Translate complex technical concepts between technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Represent Merchandise Operations in senior leadership discussions and strategic planning sessions

Qualifications:

Leadership & Management Skills:

• 3+ years of experience managing and developing teams
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear, balanced, and actionable feedback to direct reports
• Strong track record of setting and maintaining high performance standards
• Experience developing and implementing team processes and documentation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to build relationships across all levels of the organization
• Proven ability to align team objectives with organizational strategy

Technical & Domain Expertise:

• Experience in product information management, content management, or catalog operations
• Strong analytical skills with keen attention to detail and data-driven decision making
• Experience managing complex projects from inception to completion
• Ability to understand and navigate complex healthcare regulatory requirements
• Proficiency in research, analysis, and data manipulation
• Knowledge of (or ability to pick up quickly) tools such as Google Workspace suite, Miro, Notion, Zendesk, and Tableau

Personal Characteristics:

• Exceptional organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Proactive communication style with emphasis on transparency and clarity
• Self-motivated with strong follow-through and commitment to project completion
• Adaptable to various types of projects within our domain
• Ability to translate complex concepts into easy-to-understand language and workflows
• Collaborative mindset with focus on team success and organizational goals
• Commitment to improving patient outcomes in the healthcare sector

Nice to Have:

• Experience in medical supplies categories (Wound Care, Urology, Ostomy, and Incontinence)
• Experience with taxonomy or ontology development, category management, and/or market research.
• Experience with product information management systems (PIMs) or content management systems (CMS).
• Experience with developing and executing GTM strategies and/or conducting market segmentation
• Background in healthcare or knowledge of healthcare regulations, coding, and/or claims practices.
• Background in computer science, library science, data science, or math.

Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Remote-First Company with the option to work at our office located in New York City
• Equity Incentive Plan
• Flexible Vacation Policy
• Annual Company-Wide Bonus (up to 15%)
• Summer Fridays – 5 Fridays Off During Summer (Separate From PTO)
• Monthly Internet Stipend
• Annual Home Office and Wellness Stipend
• Co-Working Space Reimbursement
• Annual stipend for education and development

Base Salary Band (based on level and experience):
$125,000 - $160,000