Senior Manager, Category Management
Interview Kickstart is a premier career transformation platform turbocharging tech careers through AI upskilling.
Founded in 2014 in Santa Clara by Soham Mehta, ex-Box Engineering Leader, and Ryan Valles, a transformative P&L leader and former CEO with a track record of scaling ventures, Interview Kickstart’s vision is to help every tech professional thrive in today’s fast-evolving tech industry.
With 40+ domain-specific courses—from foundational Machine Learning and Generative AI to Agentic AI, System Design, and DSA—Interview Kickstart equips engineers, PMs, data professionals, and tech leaders to accelerate their careers. Its 600+ instructors—industry practitioners, hiring managers, and senior engineers from FAANG+ companies—bring real-world insight and cutting-edge expertise into every classroom.
Beyond upskilling, Interview Kickstart offers end-to-end career support. Personalized mock interviews, resume and LinkedIn branding, career coaching, salary negotiation guidance, and performance-based job referrals ensure that your AI upskilling translates into real career breakthroughs. Over 25,000 professionals have already advanced their careers through Interview Kickstart.
Recognized by TIME x Statista and GSV 150 as a top EdTech company, Interview Kickstart is the go-to platform for tech professionals looking to future-proof their careers in the age of AI.
Role Overview
We are looking for a Category Manager who will operate as a business owner for a category, driving revenue, growth, user journey, user understanding and funnel efficiency end-to-end.
This is a high-impact, operator-first role that combines category ownership, growth strategy, and hands-on funnel optimization across TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU.
The ideal candidate is not just a strategist, but a sharp problem-solver with strong communication skills, high ownership, and the ability to independently diagnose issues, run experiments, and unlock growth in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
Key Responsibilities
1. Category Ownership & Revenue Accountability
- Own the end-to-end P&L, revenue targets, and growth roadmap for assigned categories
- Track and improve funnel conversion metrics across the user journey (TOFU → MOFU → BOFU)
- Lead weekly and monthly business reviews, identifying gaps and driving corrective actions
- Take full ownership of revenue outcomes, not just inputs
2. Funnel Optimization Across the Customer Journey
Top of Funnel (TOFU) – Acquisition Quality & User Understanding
- Drive improvements in lead quality, user profiling, and audience segmentation
- Analyze and optimize the end-to-end user journey (ads → landing page → signup)
- Partner with Performance Marketing to:
- Influence campaign strategy and audience targeting
- Provide inputs on creative direction (performance ads, content, messaging)
- Lead & optimize building of landing pages, brochures, and conversion assets through continuous experimentation, with the relevant stakeholders.
Middle of Funnel (MOFU) – Engagement & Nurturing
- Improve webinar effectiveness as a conversion lever (structure, positioning, content hooks)
- Work closely with CRM stakeholders to:
- Optimize lead nurturing journeys and engagement flows
- Improve conversion rates from lead → qualified opportunity
- Identify and implement engagement experiments to reduce drop-offs
Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) – Conversion & Revenue (Critical Focus)
- Own funnel movement and conversion efficiency from qualified lead to sale
- Diagnose and resolve funnel leakages and stuck leads through structured RCA
- Partner with Sales to:
- Improve lead allocation and prioritization
- Enable higher conversion through better insights and targeting
- Drive experimentation and innovations in conversion strategies
- Ensure consistent achievement of revenue targets for the category
3. Performance Marketing Partnership & Growth Scaling
- Collaborate closely with the Performance Marketing Lead on the strategy & optimizations of paid channels (Meta, Google, LinkedIn, YouTube, Affiliates, etc.)
- Contribute to:
- Campaign structuring and optimization suggestions
- Creative and audience testing inputs
- Funnel diagnostics and scaling frameworks with the Performance Marketing Lead
- Act as an enabler of growth, not just a stakeholder
4. Consumer Insights & Category Strategy
- Develop a deep understanding of customer needs, motivations, and objections
- Translate insights into:
- GTM strategies and messaging frameworks
- Pricing and positioning improvements
- Identify market gaps, competitor moves, and new growth opportunities
- Contribute to new product ideas and enhancements
5. Cross-Functional Leadership
- Work closely with Sales, Performance Marketing, CRM, Product/Tech, Curriculum, and Creative teams
- Drive alignment and execution to ensure end-to-end funnel efficiency and revenue delivery
What We’re Looking For
Core Requirements
- 5–9 years of experience in category management, growth, or performance marketing roles in consumer internet or EdTech (preferred)
- Proven track record of scaling a business line/category with revenue ownership
- Solid understanding of funnels, CAC, segmentation, and conversion optimization
Critical Success Traits
- Strong communication skills (written & verbal) – ability to clearly articulate insights, strategies, and recommendations
- High ownership & accountability – operates like a business owner
- Analytical problem-solver – independently conducts deep dives and RCAs
- Execution-oriented – moves from insight to action quickly
- Collaborative operator – effectively works across teams to unlock outcomes
Preferred Background
- MBA or B.Tech from a Tier 1 institution
- Experience in EdTech (preferred) or digital lead funnel-led businesses
- Familiarity with AI / upskilling / career transformation categories
What Makes This Role Exciting
- End-to-end ownership of a high-impact revenue line
- Opportunity to directly influence business growth and top-line outcomes
- Work with a high-caliber, execution-focused team
- Operate at the intersection of AI, education, and career transformation