Category Manager, Product Planning

The Category Manager, Product Planning will lead cross-category management for the customized goods and apparel businesses. The role covers category strategy, sales and profit planning, member management, operational support, and organizational improvement. It is intended for a leader candidate who can work as a hands-on manager while directly driving business growth.

The role will set merchandising policies and business plans to achieve sales targets across multiple categories. Responsibilities include managing team members toward their goals, supporting day-to-day work, strengthening team capabilities, using data to run PDCA cycles, and improving the efficiency of team workflows.

Product responsibilities include planning broader assortments and product specifications for the e-commerce services, setting selling prices, managing planned and actual sales and profit, and proposing or implementing site UI improvements to support promotion and purchase conversion in cooperation with development teams. The manager will also select products using market research and customer analysis, meet with manufacturers and wholesalers, negotiate purchasing terms, and manage the process from supplier discussions through product registration and maintenance of listed products.

The position belongs to the Raksul business division’s Custom Goods & Apparel organization and supports the planning and operation of the Raksul Goods and Novelties and Raksul Apparel and Uniform services. These services allow companies and individuals to create and order customized items with logos online, including stationery, bags, snacks, T-shirts, workwear, and uniforms. The posting states that the services provide a free design tool that does not require dedicated software, small-lot ordering, and free nationwide shipping.

Required experience includes P/L management; handling the full process for multiple products from selection, ordering, and delivery-date negotiation through product planning, sourcing, and sales planning; achieving clear sales results with planned or developed products; numerical analysis and hypothesis development and testing; and leadership or member management experience. Experience at a startup or growth-stage company, web marketing planning, and responsibility for multiple categories in e-commerce, distribution, or retail are listed as preferred. Candidates are expected to commit to plans, execute hands-on with speed, think beyond existing frameworks, consider members, suppliers, and customers, and work toward team goals.

The position is a permanent full-time role with no fixed contract term and a three-month probationary period with unchanged conditions. Annual compensation is JPY 5,000,000–8,000,000, determined with reference to prior compensation, past results, and experience. The package includes a fixed allowance equivalent to 20 hours of overtime; additional overtime is paid separately. Bonuses are paid twice yearly and may vary with company performance, personnel evaluation, and attendance during the calculation period.

The work location is the Azabudai office or a company-approved home or equivalent location for remote work. The work style combines remote work with office attendance several times a week. Flextime applies, with core hours from 11:00 to 15:00 and, on the first day of the week, from 10:00 to 15:00. Standard daily working time is eight hours, with overtime possible. Weekends and national holidays are days off. Leave includes paid leave granted at entry, refresh, year-end and New Year, condolence, Thanks Holiday, and legally provided maternity and childcare-related leave. Benefits include a corporate defined-contribution pension, leased housing, childcare and nursing-care leave systems, a return-from-childcare-leave benefit, condolence payments, a babysitter discount program, a company-led childcare facility program, Thanks Holiday, and a long-service award. Health, employees’ pension, employment, and workers’ compensation insurance are provided. The premises are generally non-smoking, with designated smoking areas or rooms where applicable. Duties and work locations may change within the company’s defined business sites, including remote-work locations.