Head of Category

Job Description:

The Head of Category Opportunity

We're hiring a Head of Category to own the end‑to‑end category strategy and performance across a complex, high‑SKU portfolio.

You will set vision, build actionable plans, and lead a team to deliver sales growth, profit improvement, and best‑in‑class customer experience.

Reports to: Director of Commercial

Direct reports: Category Managers

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & P&L

• Define 3‑year category vision and 12-18 month roadmaps aligned to company objectives.
• Own category P&L (revenue, gross margin, stock turns, working capital, GMROI).
• Build data‑driven range frameworks (good/better/best), NPI pipelines, and exit plans.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop a multi‑disciplinary team; set objectives, conduct reviews, succession plan.
• Foster a high‑performance culture with clear accountabilities and collaboration with Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing and Finance.

Range, Pricing & Promotions

• Curate competitive ranges across thousands of SKUs; manage lifecycle, rationalisation and long‑tail.
• Set price architecture, trade terms and promotional strategy by channel; ensure compliance and margin integrity.
• Champion data‑led decision making (market data, elasticity, basket analysis, attach/cross‑sell).

Supplier & Sourcing

• Own supplier strategy: selection, onboarding, sustainability and risk management.
• Lead annual terms negotiations (rebates, overriders, MDF, service levels) and resolve performance issues.

Demand, Inventory & Availability

• Partner with Supply Chain on forecasting, MOQ/EOQ, safety stock, and E&O reduction.
• Improve availability, OTIF and stock turns while protecting customer service.

Customer & Channel

• Translate customer insight into actionable category plans for B2B, e‑commerce and store channels.
• Work with Marketing on content standards, digital merchandising, search and conversion optimisation.
• Support key account propositions and tender responses with compelling category narratives.

Governance & Change

• Run monthly category reviews; track KPIs and drive corrective actions.
• Lead cross‑functional initiatives (ERP/MDM, PIM, pricing tools) to scale category management capability.

Skills & Experience (Essential)

• Proven Head of Category / Senior Category Manager / Trading Lead experience in a hard goods environment.
• Comfortable managing large, multi‑SKU portfolios and complex supplier bases.
• Demonstrable success delivering P&L improvement (revenue, margin, cash/stock).
• Strong people leadership: building, coaching and scaling teams; change leadership.
• Advanced commercial acumen: negotiations, price/margin management, promotions, and terms.
• Data‑driven with proficiency in Excel/BI tools; able to translate insight into simple actions.
• Experience working cross‑functionally with Supply Chain, Sales and Finance in a distribution setting.

Working Pattern & Travel

• Hybrid (typically 2-3 days/week in Warwick HQ; flexibility around peaks/travel).
• Occasional supplier and store visits; UK travel required

BBBH32772