Category Manager - Landscaping

What you'll do

Hybrid working - based within commutable distance of Northampton.

Toolstation, part of the Travis Perkins Group, is one of the UK's fastest growing retailers. Our Trade and DIY customers are working smarter, and we need to be agile in how we serve them. We are scaling fast and leading the transformation to become a customer first, omni channel retailer, integrating online, mobile and physical store channels for a seamless experience.

Reporting to a Senior Category Manager, you will support the Landscaping category with a laser focus on Trade customers. You will collaborate cross functionally with marketing, digital, supply chain and retail to ensure we offer a compelling proposition for trade professionals and help us achieve our ambition of becoming a £1 billion retailer.

You will be responsible for strategic market and competitor reviews, range planning and optimisation, supplier selection, route to market decisions, cost of goods calculations, supplier SLAs, and ongoing supplier and category performance management.

• Strategy & Planning - propose, define and implement product category strategies, covering ranging, brand proposition, supplier selection, pricing, margin, and route to market, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
• Customer Proposition - develop and execute category plans informed by internal and external insight to deliver the best customer proposition.
• Commercial Performance - deliver the category budget for sales and margin, monitor trading performance and execute action plans.
• Profitability & Sourcing - provide a product range that balances quality and value, grow sales profitably, deliver margin and COGS improvements through supplier negotiations, synergy projects and sourcing programs.
• Stakeholder Collaboration - execute commercial projects across the business with internal stakeholders on promotional plans and optimised range strategy.
• People Management - manage, lead and coach a Category Assistant, providing objectives and guidance for development.

What you'll bring

With proven experience managing a landscaping category within a fast paced, omni channel retailer, you bring excellent negotiation and influencing skills. You are confident in analysing and interpreting information from multiple sources to drive range, pricing and promotional decisions that maximise commercial success.

You will also have:

• Commercial Retail experience - ideally in Trade and DIY, but experience in other fast paced retail sectors is acceptable.
• Strong analytical capability, commercial acumen, supplier management, range development, and the ability to deliver projects through cross functional teams.
• Negotiation, leadership and persuasive interpersonal skills.
• Ability to learn quickly - understand customer requirements and build knowledge of products and competitors within the building industry.
• Attributes - customer focused, confident, flexible, able to work at pace, driven, enthusiastic and continuously improve.

What you'll get

We reward you with a competitive salary and benefits commensurate with the role, contributory pension, BAYE and SAYE schemes, life assurance and discounts off Travis Perkins businesses and a range of affiliate partners.

Toolstation is one of Britain's fastest growing multi channel retailers of tools, accessories and building supplies and an integral part of Travis Perkins plc. We offer opportunities for ambitious people to grow with us.

Our policy is to employ the best qualified people and provide equal opportunity for the advancement of employees, including promotion and training, and not to discriminate against any person because of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief or disability.