Category Director

Category Director
In this commercially focused role, you will be responsible for setting the strategic direction, communicating, and engaging with internal stakeholders, and taking a hands-on role in building and managing supplier relations. Leading a team of Category Managers, you will support them to grow and develop sales across the Group, realise the best commercial terms available, and ensure we maximise the profitability of the category.
Responsibilities
Closely linked to and in partnership with our operations teams and the leadership teams within the relevant divisional businesses, you will evaluate the requirements for category support, the opportunities for growth and development, and the potential for increased profitability. From this you will develop the longer-term vision for the Category including a clear set of objectives and measures. You will then support and lead the team in the strategic activity required to achieve these objectives.
In this role you will lead on the key supplier negotiations, ensuring that we have competitive commercial terms tailored to the requirements of our business, and where possible aligning our objectives for growth with that of our suppliers, adding value for both. Key to this is the year-round management of our supplier relationships, forging strong and mutually beneficial supplier partnerships.
You will support the learning and development of your team of Category Managers, coaching, guiding, and mentoring them to achieve their own personal development goals as well as those of the business.  
It will be important for you to build an in-depth understanding of the market, the key suppliers, products, and competitors, you will then use this knowledge to support the growth of the category and offer market insight to the business.
As a business, our width of product range and depth of stock has been important to our success. In this role you will be expected to use your influence to ensure we maintain good availability of product and any shortages are managed effectively. The robustness and resilience of our supply chain should be a significant factor in your long-term category planning.  
Qualities and skills required
The right attitude is extremely important. We are looking for positively, enthusiasm and self-motivation. We want people who move at pace and make things happen.

As the business evolves, we are looking for adaptability, we want people who are comfortable to get hands-on in the detail where required, but who are also able to rise above the day-to-day activity and take a longer-term more strategic view.

Communicating effectively will be key to success in the role. Engaging with a wide group of stakeholders both internally and externally and having the ability to gain support and buy-in through having high levels of emotional intelligence, with good inter-personal and influencing skills will be important.

Within the given Category a strong understanding of the products and market is essential, preferably gained over time spent in a distribution/merchant setting. Having a network of contacts and relationships within the supply base and an industry standing would be ideal.

You should be a confident and experienced negotiator with a strong track record of managing and improving commercial agreements.

Leadership and coaching skills are important, but also having a level of charisma and the ability to inspire would be desirable.

Being analytical and having the ability to demonstrate complex thinking and sound, independent judgment in problem resolution will be required.

Having a commercial mindset with a focus on profit and margin and strong financial awareness will all be imperative.
There is flexibility in the base location of the role, however the majority of the team are based in Pampisford, Cambridge so ideally you will be able to work from this office location a couple of days a week. There will be a significant level of travel expected as part of the role, this will include spending time with your Category team, meetings at our head offices and in divisional business offices, as well as visiting branches and suppliers.
Benefits include:
Competitive salary

32 days annual leave (including bank holidays)

Company bonus scheme

Company pension scheme

Company car

Colleague discount scheme
About Huws Gray Group
Since our formation in 1990, Huws Gray has developed from a single branch on Anglesey into the UK’s leading independent Builders Merchants and Construction Products distribution business, with over 300 branches and 5000 colleagues. Our brands include: Huws Gray, Civils & Lintels, PDM, The Timber Group, NDI, Anglia Tool Centre, Bathroom Distribution Group and Lloyd Worrall.
Across our national network of branches, we strive to deliver excellence in quality, service and value to trades people, contractors, developers, and the public. Alongside our aim to be the customer’s one-stop shop for everything from below-ground drainage to roofing materials, we pride ourselves on employing people to succeed by giving our employees the training, support and opportunities they need to grow and develop, encouraging everyone to achieve their full potential

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