Category Associate, New Grad Business Program

About the Role

The Category Associate role is designed for individuals eager to learn the inner workings of a fast-growing marketplace by taking ownership of real relationships and business outcomes from day one.

• Years 1–2: Develop a foundational skill set across core functions: seller outreach and onboarding, relationship management, marketing, and data analytics. You will learn what it takes to build a successful business at Whatnot by managing a high-growth category within the Launch team.
• After 2 years: Specialization occurs. Based on your interests and business needs, you will transition into a mature category or function to gain deep expertise and build a path towards future leadership at Whatnot.

Key Responsibilities

• Go-to Expert of Your Category:
• Become the primary expert on your assigned category, understanding seller/buyer dynamics, community channels, influencers, and product specificities.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the seller and buyer community within your category.
• Seller Outreach and Onboarding:
• Identify and engage potential sellers, persuading them to join and expand their businesses on Whatnot.
• Utilize social media, outbound channels, and in-person events for outreach.
• Relationship Management:
• Collaborate with top sellers and strategic partners to foster significant business growth on Whatnot.
• Develop and implement seller growth plans to drive category expansion.
• Marketing and Growth:
• Lead various marketing initiatives, including influencer partnerships, to enhance brand awareness and attract more buyers.
• Data Analytics:
• Apply basic SQL skills to extract insights and improve process efficiency.
• Analyze key data points to evaluate category growth, success, and identify areas for improvement, driving continuous iteration.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Graduating by Summer 2027.
• Demonstrated passion for Whatnot's mission, deeply understanding and working relentlessly to improve community experiences.
• Internship experience in a fast-paced, client-facing role with a proven track record of rapid, iterative work.
• Ability to navigate ambiguous environments with limited guidance, demonstrating scrappiness and flexibility.
• Strong problem-solving skills combined with effective project management abilities, capable of owning strategy and execution across both sides of an emerging marketplace.
• Possess business acumen and strong analytical skills, comfortable understanding and manipulating data for actionable business insights.
• Enthusiastic about building a broad skill set before specializing, prioritizing breadth over depth initially.
• Must reside within commuting distance of a Whatnot hub: New York City, San Francisco, or Los Angeles.
• Proficiency in SQL.

Qualifications

• You are comfortable figuring things out as you go.
• You are biased toward action.
• You are genuinely curious about what you are building.
• You care more about outcomes than credit.
• You stay close to the product and the people using it.

Compensation

• $81,000 - $90,000