Senior Category Manager _ Direct Experiences

Mission

Lead the category strategy, commercialization and merchandising for Smartbox Direct Experiences, our new D2C business line.

You will shape category positioning, curate offers sourced by Supply, and turn them into high-performing, beautifully merchandised ranges supported by CRM, paid media, onsite placements and partners.

This role sits at the intersection of Product, Supply, BI and Marketing, ensuring every category has a clear role, narrative and growth plan.

Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Leadership

Own multiple categories end-to-end and execute the DE positioning plan

Define the strategic role of each category (traffic, margin, retention)

Identify assortment gaps & pricing/value issues with BI data

Influence Supply priorities based on demand and opportunity

Structure clear referencing so CRM & onsite activation becomes plug-and-play

Build and run GTM plans for new categories, deals, peaks and flash sales

Product & Merchandising

Define merchandising logic (ranking, bundles, urgency, advantage cues)

Own category presentation: product cards, listing logic, filters, landing pages

Shape bundle value narratives and ensure benefit clarity

Work with Product on UX enhancements enabling better discovery

Customer & Market Insights

Analyse category-level demand trends and consumer behaviour data, internal & external.

Benchmark competitors and OTAs to understand pricing models, messaging, and merchandising patterns.

Partner with BI to monitor category performance in real time (CTR, CVR, GM, revenue per session).

Content, Messaging & Storytelling

Own category naming, messaging frameworks, and communication consistency.

Produce creative briefs for banners, landing pages, promotional assets, and CRM pushes.

Ensure all value claims (discounts, savings, advantages) are compliant, accurate, and fact-based.

Performance Tracking & Continuous Optimisation

Monitor category-specific funnel metrics

Identify product, content, or pricing blockers and propose mitigation actions.

Run structured test-and-learn programs (copy, creatives, landing pages, category layouts).

Drive a continuous improvement approach

Requirements & Skills

5+ years experience in Category Management/Product Marketing

Experience in travel, marketplace, OTA, or e-commerce is necessary.

Demonstrated ability to collaborate with or manage performance marketing agencies.

Strong analytical capability and comfortable with commercial KPIs

Ability to turn complex bundled offers into simple, high-impact customer propositions.

Excellent stakeholder management: Product, Supply, BI, CRM, external agencies.

Experience in travel, marketplace, OTA, or e-commerce is highly valuable.

Excellent written and oral communication in English, Italian is a nice to have.

Ability to adapt to changes in direction as this Product/New Proposition is still evolving - someone with scaleup experience might feel more comfortable here  

This role is based in Paris (2 days remote / week)