Application Guide

How to Apply for Category Manager (f/m/x) - remote

at refurbed

🏢 About refurbed

Refurbed is a unique marketplace focused exclusively on refurbished tech and electronics, with a mission to reduce e-waste and promote sustainable consumption. Unlike general e-commerce platforms, they specialize in certified refurbished products that combine quality, affordability, and environmental impact. Working here means contributing directly to a circular economy while operating in a fast-growing, remote-first European tech company.

About This Role

As Category Manager for Home & Garden, Sports, and Kids categories, you'll be responsible for developing and executing growth strategies across these three distinct verticals on refurbed's marketplace. This role directly impacts revenue by identifying assortment gaps, optimizing performance through data analysis, and collaborating with sales, marketing, and product teams to enhance the customer journey. You'll serve as the internal expert driving both commercial success and sustainable expansion in these categories.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start your day reviewing weekly performance dashboards for your categories, identifying underperforming products and triggering sourcing actions with account managers. Midday could involve collaborating with marketing on upcoming promotional campaigns for seasonal peaks, then analyzing competitor assortments to identify gaps. You'd likely end the day prioritizing UX improvements with the product team based on customer journey data, ensuring the category experience aligns with both commercial goals and refurbed's sustainability mission.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who refurbed Is Looking For

  • Has 3+ years in e-commerce category management or marketplace operations with experience analyzing supply-demand dynamics and assortment gaps
  • Demonstrates strong analytical skills with proven ability to translate data (category performance, competitive landscape, customer insights) into prioritized commercial actions
  • Possesses excellent stakeholder management skills to coordinate with sales, account managers, marketing, and product teams in a remote environment
  • Shows a growth mindset with hands-on experience in both strategic planning (annual commercial calendars) and tactical execution (weekly performance reviews and sourcing triggers)

📝 Tips for Applying to refurbed

1

Quantify your category management achievements with specific metrics (e.g., 'increased category revenue by X% through assortment expansion in Y subcategory') rather than listing generic responsibilities

2

Highlight any experience with refurbished/second-hand markets, sustainable e-commerce, or circular economy initiatives to align with refurbed's mission

3

Demonstrate your understanding of marketplace dynamics by mentioning how you've balanced supplier relationships with customer demand in previous roles

4

Showcase remote collaboration skills by describing how you've managed stakeholders across different functions without in-person interaction

5

Tailor your application to all three categories (Home & Garden, Sports, Kids) rather than focusing on just one - show breadth while acknowledging potential specialization

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your specific experience with category growth strategy development and execution in e-commerce/marketplace environments', "Examples of how you've used data analysis to identify assortment gaps and drive commercial actions that improved performance", 'Your approach to stakeholder management in cross-functional settings, particularly with sales, marketing, and product teams', "Why refurbed's mission of sustainable refurbished tech resonates with you and how you'd contribute to their environmental goals through category management"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Study refurbed's current assortment in Home & Garden, Sports, and Kids categories to identify potential gaps or opportunities
  • → Research European refurbished market trends, particularly in these three categories, and competitors in the space
  • → Understand refurbed's certification process and sustainability claims to speak knowledgeably about their value proposition
  • → Review their blog and press coverage to understand company culture, growth trajectory, and recent initiatives

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you develop a 6-month growth strategy for the Kids category on a refurbished marketplace?
2 Describe your process for identifying and closing assortment gaps when you notice declining performance in a subcategory
3 How would you plan the commercial calendar for Sports equipment considering seasonal demand peaks in Europe?
4 Walk us through how you'd analyze competitive landscape data to improve on-site category experience for Home & Garden
5 How do you prioritize initiatives when product, marketing, and sales teams have conflicting priorities for category resources?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying with generic retail category management experience without tailoring it to marketplace dynamics and refurbished/second-hand specifics
  • Focusing only on strategic planning without demonstrating hands-on execution skills for weekly performance reviews and immediate actions
  • Neglecting to address all three categories (Home & Garden, Sports, Kids) in your application or interview responses

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to refurbed!

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