Category Manager

Great opportunity for a Category Manager to join an excellent organisation, within the Trading Team. With your experience, ideally from the building material sector, you will introduce new ideas and best practice to help drive the category management strategy to the next level. Being responsible for influencing and maximising existing product categories and identify new product and supplier opportunities.

Reporting to the Head of Trading, you will manage a significant supplier portfolio and drive turnover to work towards department KPIs. Your commercial acumen and analytical mindset will be pivotal to being successful within this exciting role.

Full time office based on the outskirts of Leicester.

Key Requirements:

• Manage and develop supplier categories in line with strategic objectives, ensuring that the category meets required KPI’s and strategic objectives.
• Work with the Trading team to ensure categories meet key KPIs and support the organisation’s strategic objectives.
• Liaise with key suppliers periodically to maintain and develop relationships and grow turnover.
• Collaborate with department heads and Directors to develop and achieve the company's goals.
• Attend Industry events representing the organisation.
• Produce accurate and informative management reports, within set timeframes.
• Highly customer focused, ensuring excellent interaction with both suppliers and customers, establishing positive working relationships.
• Carry out strong negotiating, having the ability to influence and secure pricing.
• Think strategically, being an exceptional planner with strong analytical skills.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Experienced Category Manager, with a proven track record of driving growth and opportunities.
• Ability to manage own workload and work within a team environment.
• Recognised Industry qualifications such as CIPS or qualified by experience.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills with an eye for spotting new opportunities.
• Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders across teams and key industry partners.
• Adeptness to solve complex problems in a professional and well-tempered manor.
• Proven commercial and digital trading experience.
• IT Proficient across the MS Office Suite, with a high level of competency in Excel creating pivot tables.
• Good presentation skills to deliver updates to large audiences at forums and seminars.
• Experience of working within the building material sector preferred.
• Existing strong relationships within the industry is desirable.

Personal Attributes:

• A positive mindset with a natural drive to succeed.
• Excellent time management skills, who is target driven to ensure deadlines are met.
• Highly analytical, with a numerical approach and great attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Both written and verbal.