Category Associate - Upholstery

Location: Shanghai, China

Department: Category Management & Lifestyle Brands

Team: Business & Operations

About the Role

Wayfair is seeking a Category Associate - Upholstery in Shanghai, China, within the Category Management & Lifestyle Brands department. This role focuses on reinventing eCommerce for home goods in Asia by owning the upholstery category, managing key supplier relationships, and driving logistics and warehouse efficiencies. The associate will define category strategies, optimize supply chains, and collaborate with operations teams to ensure seamless fulfillment from Shanghai warehouses to customers across the region, directly impacting Wayfair's bottom line through improved inventory management and delivery performance. Key responsibilities include building supplier partnerships with a focus on upholstery logistics, analyzing warehouse metrics like throughput and storage utilization, executing tactical plans for category growth, and problem-solving operational challenges. The role demands expertise in cross-border supply chains, demand forecasting, and cost optimization to support Wayfair's high-volume eCommerce operations in China. This position offers ownership of strategic business decisions in a dynamic environment, with opportunities to influence Asia market expansion through efficient warehouse and logistics practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with upholstery suppliers and logistics partners
• Develop category strategy focused on warehouse efficiency and supply chain optimization
• Collaborate with internal operations teams to improve fulfillment speed and accuracy
• Monitor key metrics including inventory turnover, on-time delivery, and logistics costs
• Execute tactical plans for supplier onboarding and performance management
• Analyze market trends to optimize upholstery category assortment and stock levels
• Coordinate with warehouse teams on upholstery product handling and storage requirements
• Drive cost reduction initiatives through logistics and supplier negotiations
• Problem-solve supply chain disruptions affecting warehouse operations

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field
• 2+ years experience in category management, procurement, or supplier relations
• Strong understanding of eCommerce supply chain dynamics in Asia
• Experience managing logistics and fulfillment operations for home goods
• Proficiency in inventory management and demand forecasting
• Ability to analyze warehouse throughput and operational metrics
• Fluency in English and Mandarin
• Experience with cross-border logistics in China

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree in Operations Management
• Prior experience in furniture or upholstery supply chains
• Knowledge of Wayfair's Asia logistics network

Required Skills

• Supplier relationship management
• Supply chain analytics
• Inventory optimization
• Logistics coordination
• Excel and data analysis proficiency
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Strategic planning
• eCommerce operations knowledge
• Demand forecasting
• Contract negotiation
• Performance metrics tracking
• Warehouse operations understanding
• Mandarin language skills
• Market trend analysis

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance bonuses
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage
• Paid time off and flexible working hours
• Professional development stipend
• Employee stock purchase program
• On-site gym and meal subsidies
• Relocation assistance for Shanghai

Wayfair is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.