Senior Category Manager, Contact Lens (Omnichannel)

Location: This hybrid role requires 3 days on-site at our Burnaby, BC office and 2 days remote per week.

Welcome to Specsavers – where we’re not just about eyewear and eyecare, but about changing lives through better sight. Ranked the 11th Best Workplace™ in Canada and 12th globally by Great Place to Work®, we’re proud of our optometrist-owned model that delivers high-quality, accessible eyecare for every budget.

Founded 40 years ago in the UK by visionary optometrists Doug and Mary Perkins, Specsavers has remained privately owned since day one. Today, we are a $7.8 billion global business with over 45,000 colleagues across more than 2,700 retail optical locations.

In Canada, our support office is based in Burnaby, BC. Since entering the market in 2021, we’ve been scaling rapidly, now with nearly 240 locations nationwide. With advanced clinical equipment and a wide range of affordable, high-quality eyewear, we’re transforming the way Canadians experience eyecare.

If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a values-driven organization, join us as we continue to grow. Together, we can change lives through better sight.

What You’ll Do

The Senior Category Manager, Contact Lens (Omnichannel), internally called ‘Senior Contact Lens Category & Trading Manager,’ will be responsible for delivering the category and trading performance of the Contact Lenses across all channels, with a particular focus on executing and supporting the evolution of omni-channel purchasing strategies and objectives across more than 270 retail stores.

This includes translating agreed strategic direction into competitive pricing actions, online offers and trading activity to support digital performance, as well as coordinating product launches, catalogue updates, and in‑store trading initiatives, incentives, and store‑facing materials.

The role works in close partnership with the Head of Lenses to implement and refine agreed initiatives and projects across multiple areas, while contributing insights, capability building, and leadership development within the Lenses team.

Key Responsibilities

Product Portfolio & Trade

• Deliver the agreed Contact Lens trade plan across online channels and retail stores, contributing to the shaping of strategic initiatives that support growth targets and KPIs including sales volume, profitability, and customer acquisition.
• Lead the day‑to‑day execution of the Contact Lens portfolio, proactively identifying and recommending opportunities to optimize trade performance and profitability.
• Contribute to the development of the product portfolio in line with future omnichannel purchasing strategy, supporting readiness, launch execution, and ongoing optimization.
• Maintain strong awareness of the online competitive landscape and new product launches, using insights to inform trade recommendations and enhance customer value through effective execution.
• Leverage omnichannel tools and platforms to deliver agreed initiatives, while supporting continuous improvement across customer acquisition, volume, and profitability.
• Coordinate product data inputs and processes, ensuring accuracy and timeliness while identifying opportunities to improve execution across digital and in‑store purchase channels.
• Lead the execution of product launches and associated trade plans, contributing to their commercial design and ensuring robust communication, activation, and cross‑channel alignment.
• Act as a product subject‑matter expert for digital teams, providing input into the design and delivery of omnichannel trade initiatives.
• Ensure products are launched and maintained effectively in stores, working closely with suppliers and internal teams to deliver high‑quality, commercially strong execution.
• Provide technical and commercial input into the development and delivery of POS materials, price lists, and training or communication content.
• Embed best‑practice trading execution, supporting stores to operate a profitable and efficient Contact Lens business.
• Support store and online teams by resolving enquiries related to Contact Lens products and trade execution.

Omnichannel Trade

• Create and deliver agreed trade plans and activities, offers, and promotions to support online trade and customer acquisition, providing input into their design and optimization.
• Develop and apply tools and insights to monitor market conditions, contributing to the ongoing refinement and delivery of a compelling omnichannel Contact Lens value proposition in Canada.
• Deliver and manage the Contact Lens purchasing model in line with agreed objectives, supporting initiatives that maximize repurchase frequency and customer retention.

Performance

• Monitor and evaluate the overall performance of the Contact Lens range across channels, identifying and recommending adjustments to pricing, range, or activation in line with agreed objectives.
• Work closely with the Head of Lenses and Marketing leads to support the development and delivery of the trading calendar and corresponding activities across channels.
• Produce and maintain weekly trading packs that provide clear performance analysis for Contact Lenses, highlighting opportunities for stores and online.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across Supply Chain, Finance, and IT to define reporting requirements and analyze data to inform category insights, decisions, and priorities.
• Partner with Supply Chain and suppliers to support stock availability and customer lead‑time objectives.
• Manage the delivery of the online and in‑store trading activity calendar for Contact Lenses, coordinating incentives, offers, and in‑store and online activation activity.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of strong commercial experience in Product/Category Management.
• Extensive experience with e-commerce platforms, tools, and digital trade strategies, including subscription models and omnichannel integration.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and create execute trade plans, with a strategic mindset suitable for leadership progression.
• Exceptional communication skills with proven ability to work cross-functionally within a complex organization.
• Ability to prioritize workload to effectively manage multiple projects at once.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and reporting tools, with sound IT skills.

Nice To Have:

• Experience in the Optical industry, ideally with category/product management of Contact Lenses (retail or supplier).
• Licensed Optician in Canada
• Retail or in‑store experience is considered an advantage.
• Prior leadership or mentoring experience in a product or trading environment

Compensation: $120,000 - $145,000 base salary, plus quarterly bonus, profit sharing, and benefits. Final base salary will be determined based on the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and alignment with the role.

Speccies’ Benefits

• 4 weeks of vacation and 1 paid volunteer day
• 1 extra paid day off and an eyecare voucher on your birthday
• RRSP matching
• Quarterly performance bonus
• Profit sharing program
• Healthcare spending account
• Health and dental benefits effective on your first day
• Team and company social events

Behaviours We Value

• Collaborative: We work together as one Specsavers to deliver our purpose
• Curious: We question, explore, and seek out diverse perspectives to develop our knowledge and understanding
• Courageous: We challenge the status quo, we experiment with good ideas, and we are brave, bold, and fast in our decision making
• Compassionate: We care, support, and help each other
• Commercial: We treat money wisely and make decisions that are good for our customers, our partners, our people, and good for the long term

We hope that in applying with us, you value these things as well!

Our Hybrid Work Model

Experience the best of both worlds. At Specsavers, we embrace a hybrid approach that balances in-office collaboration with the flexibility to work from home. We come together in office three days a week to connect, innovate, and keep our culture thriving.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Specsavers, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team enriches our work environment and enables us to achieve our goals. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. If you believe you can contribute to our mission and vision, we welcome your application, even if you don't meet every qualification listed. We value the unique skills and perspectives each individual brings to our team.

Accessibility and Accommodations

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know by contacting us at careers.ca@specsavers.com . We will work with you to meet your needs and ensure a fair and equitable experience.