Category Manager

Overview

As Commercial Category Manager you drive category direction, shaping ranges, pricing and promotions to meet customer needs. You’ll turn insights from data and field observations into trading actions that boost competitiveness and achieve commercial goals. You’ll collaborate with senior colleagues to influence plans and launch customer-led initiatives in a fast-moving retail environment. This role offers cross-functional impact, ownership of a category, and opportunities to develop commercial expertise within a supportive team. You will be part of a mission-driven, member-owned organisation focused on communities.

Pay / Benefits

• annual bonus
• 28 days holiday (32 with service) plus bank holidays
• pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• subsidised onsite gym
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of pay as you earn it

Responsibilities

• Build collaborative relationships with internal teams and channel partners to improve category performance
• Spend time in stores to understand customer missions and changing needs
• Use data to form clear recommendations on range, pricing and promotions
• Support development and execution of category strategy for trading and commercial teams
• Partner with Senior Category Manager to review performance and shape customer-led plans
• Contribute to launching own-label products and design promotions resonating with customers
• Brief commercial teams on cost, margin and promotional plans
• Support forecasting and budgeting with focus on performance drivers and risks

Key requirements

• Ability to translate customer insight, sales data and market trends into actionable commercial decisions
• Experience with MicroStrategy, Circana, Excel and PowerPoint
• Strong commercial awareness; understanding of how pricing, cost and volume affect performance
• Confident communication and influence with stakeholders at all levels
• Solid understanding of GSCOP and its day-to-day application

• collaborative mindset
• influencing and communication
• data-driven decision making
• MicroStrategy
• Circana
• Excel

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