About this Senior Category & Product Development Manager, eComm role at Crunchyroll, LLC
About Crunchyroll
Founded by fans, Crunchyroll delivers the art and culture of anime to a passionate community. We super-serve over 100 million anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories, and help them connect with the stories and characters they crave. Whether that experience is online or in-person, streaming video, theatrical, games, merchandise, events and more, it’s powered by the anime content we all love.
Join our team, and help us shape the future of anime!
About the role
We're looking for a Senior Category & Product Development Manager to help shape the future of the Crunchyroll Store. In this highly visible role, you'll own the end-to-end lifecycle of products within your category — from identifying fan trends and defining assortments to making buy decisions, managing vendor execution, and optimizing performance after launch.
Reporting into the VP of eCommerce, you'll sit at the intersection of merchandising, product development, and commercial strategy. You'll partner closely with Design, Creative, Marketing, Planning, Finance, Legal, and Operations to create culturally relevant products that delight fans while delivering strong business results.
Core Areas of Responsibility
- Own the end-to-end product lifecycle for your category, from concept through launch and post-launch optimization
- Translate anime, gaming, and pop culture trends into compelling assortments across apparel, accessories, collectibles, and collaborations
- Develop product briefs, define assortments, and make buy, pricing, and inventory decisions that balance fan demand, profitability, and long-term category growth
- Partner with vendors to manage product development, sampling, approvals, production timelines, quality, and delivery
- Drive cross-functional execution across Design, Creative, Marketing, Planning, Finance, Legal, and Operations to ensure successful product launches
- Monitor product performance, analyzing sales, margin, inventory, and fan feedback to inform future assortment and buying decisions
- Champion premium product quality, packaging, and brand standards while protecting the integrity of Crunchyroll's licensed IPs
- Continuously identify opportunities to improve processes, optimize category performance, and create exceptional experiences for anime fans around the world
We are considering applicants available to work a hybrid schedule in our Los Angeles office.
About You
We get excited about candidates, like you, because...
- 8+ years of experience in merchandising, buying, category management, or product development within direct-to-consumer eCommerce or consumer products
- Deep knowledge of anime, gaming, and youth culture, with a proven ability to translate fan trends into commercially successful products and assortments
- Experience owning the commercial performance of a product category, including assortment strategy, forecasting, buying, pricing, margin, and inventory management
- A track record of bringing products from concept through launch and post-launch optimization, balancing fan experience, brand standards, and business performance
- Experience partnering directly with manufacturers and vendors to manage product development, sampling, approvals, production, quality, and delivery
- Proven success leading cross-functional initiatives across Design, Creative, Marketing, Planning, Finance, Legal, and Operations
- Strong commercial and analytical instincts, using data to optimize assortment performance, pricing, inventory, and future product decisions
- Experience working with licensed consumer products, entertainment brands, or IP-driven businesses
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple product launches in a fast-paced environment
- Proficiency with Excel/Google Sheets and experience using eCommerce, analytics, inventory, or PLM systems
Why you will love working at Crunchyroll
In addition to getting to work with fun, passionate and inspired colleagues, you will also enjoy the following benefits and perks:
- Receive a great compensation package including salary plus performance bonus earning potential, paid annually.
- Flexible time off policies allowing you to take the time you need to be your whole self.
- Generous medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, and life insurance
- Health Saving Account HSA program
- Health care and dependent care FSA
- 401(k) plan, with employer match
- Employer paid commuter benefit
- Support program for new parents
- Pet insurance and some of our offices are pet friendly!
#LifeAtCrunchyroll #LI-Hybrid
About our Values
We want to be everything for someone rather than something for everyone and we do this by living and modeling our values in all that we do. We value
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Courage. We believe that when we overcome fear, we enable our best selves.
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Curiosity. We are curious, which is the gateway to empathy, inclusion, and understanding.
- Kaizen. We have a growth mindset committed to constant forward progress.
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Service. We serve our community with humility, enabling joy and belonging for others.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion
Our mission of helping people belong reflects our commitment to diversity & inclusion. It's just the way we do business.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Crunchyroll. Pursuant to applicable law, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Japan's Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.
Questions about Crunchyroll’s hiring process? Please check out our Hiring FAQs: https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040471712-Crunchyroll-Hiring-FAQs
Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Policy for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights: https://tbcdn.talentbrew.com/company/22978/v1_0/docs/spe-jobs-privacy-policy-update-for-crpa-dec-21-22.pdf
Please beware of recent scams to online job seekers. Those applying to our job openings will only be contacted directly from @crunchyroll.com email account.
