Senior Category Manager, Gifting and Retail Programs

The Mom Project is excited to support Etsy with their search for a Gifting & Retail Programs Senior Category Manager to join their team on a contract basis.

About the Role

As the Senior Category Manager, Gifting & Retail Programs, you'll own the strategy, performance, and growth of Etsy's Gifting business while serving as the merchandising lead for Etsy's most significant retail programs.

This role sits at the intersection of category management, merchandising, and program leadership. You'll combine customer insights, market intelligence, and data-driven decision making to identify growth opportunities, shape merchandising strategies, and deliver compelling shopping experiences across key gifting occasions.

You'll partner closely with teams across Marketing, Product, Brand Strategy, Creative, Analytics, Business Development, Research, Legal, and Strategy & Operations to align priorities, influence roadmaps, and execute programs that drive GMS growth, deepen buyer engagement, and strengthen Etsy's position as the destination for thoughtful gifting.

The ideal candidate is equal parts strategist, merchant, analyst, and operator—someone who thrives in ambiguity, can influence across a complex organization, and is energized by bringing large-scale initiatives to life.

Responsibilities:

Own Category Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute the long-term strategy for Etsy's Gifting category, identifying opportunities to accelerate growth, increase buyer engagement, and expand Etsy's share of gifting occasions.
• Build and maintain a category health framework and scorecard to evaluate performance, identify trends, and inform strategic priorities.
• Conduct ongoing customer, competitive, and market analysis to uncover insights and growth opportunities.
• Translate data and insights into clear business recommendations, influencing investment decisions and organizational priorities.
• Define success metrics and evaluate the impact of category initiatives, continuously refining strategies based on performance and learnings.

Lead Etsy's Retail Programs

• Serve as the merchandising lead and central coordinator for Etsy's largest retail moments, including Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Holiday, and other seasonal programs.
• Develop integrated retail strategies that align category priorities, buyer needs, and company objectives.
• Own program planning, milestone management, stakeholder alignment, and launch readiness across cross-functional teams.
• Establish clear timelines, decision frameworks, and operating mechanisms to ensure successful execution of seasonal programs.
• Partner with Marketing, Brand Strategy, and Creative teams to develop compelling customer narratives, gifting themes, and merchandising stories that resonate with buyers and differentiate Etsy in the market.

Drive Merchandising Excellence

• Develop merchandising strategies that bring gifting occasions to life across Etsy's merchandising ecosystem, including landings, promotions, programming, Etsy Picks, editorial experiences, and other buyer-facing surfaces.
• Partner with Product teams to improve discovery, personalization, and gifting-related shopping experiences.
• Identify opportunities to unlock inventory quality, assortment depth, and discoverability through both operational and product-driven solutions.
• Test, learn, and iterate on merchandising approaches to maximize impact across onsite and marketing channels.

Influence Across the Organization

• Build strong partnerships across Marketing, Product, Analytics, Brand Strategy, Creative, Business Development, Research, Legal, and Strategy & Operations.
• Lead through influence, driving alignment among diverse stakeholders and ensuring teams remain focused on shared goals and outcomes.
• Act as Etsy's internal subject matter expert on gifting trends, seasonal shopping behavior, and retail program performance.
• Communicate strategic recommendations and business performance clearly and effectively to senior leaders and cross-functional partners.

Skills and Qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience in category management, merchandising, retail planning, ecommerce, marketplace growth, brand strategy, program management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing category strategies that drive measurable business growth.
• Proven track record leading large-scale seasonal, promotional, or retail programs across multiple stakeholders and workstreams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights and business decisions.
• Exceptional project and program management capabilities, with a reputation for driving clarity, accountability, and execution.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across functions and levels.
• Deep curiosity about customer behavior and a passion for building experiences that meet customer needs.
• Experience leading, coaching, or mentoring others is a plus.
• Passion for Etsy's mission and a belief in the power of creative entrepreneurship and human-centered commerce.

Hours and Location

• M-F, 40 hours/week
• 100% remote

We offer a competitive salary range for this position. Most candidates who join our team are hired at the median of this range, ensuring fair and equitable compensation based on experience and qualifications.