Assistant Category Manager

Come and join us as a customer focused and results driven Assistant Category Manager and be part of a hugely successful and friendly team.

As an Assistant Category Manager, you will have the drive and ambition to work within a dynamic, commercial function. As an Assistant Category Manager, you will own the relationship with your suppliers, maintaining strong relationships. You will play a vital role in being the first point of contact for our expansive branch network and suppliers, supporting our Category team for Controls and Tools in ensuring we have the right range of products for our customers at the right gross margin profitability, securing the maximum amount of funding from our suppliers to support that range.

• Create and deliver a market-leading category strategy for your categories. The strategy must include the proposition, pricing and promotional plan along with range, pricing and its role and intent within the portfolio
• Review and report weekly on the trading performance identify areas of opportunity or concern and take appropriate and timely action
• Network and maintain healthy and regular contact with the supplier base including building an internal network with stakeholders to contribute to delivering the requirements of your category & the wider commercial team
• Ensure we have the optimum route to market for each channel by supplier/category & that stock health meets the objective of the business & completed in conjunction with the supply chain
• Proactively manage the selling price to agreed category price guidance and make sure the data is actively managed in terms of competitor matches which includes maintaining a watching brief on established and emerging competitors
• Creating promotional plans within the overall Trading Plan in line with category role and intent which delivers improved sales campaign on campaign and deliver financial support to maintain margin expectations
• Driving digital participation of the category and also taking a digital-first approach to developing opportunities or resolving issues within the category
• Negotiation of commercial terms with suppliers as and when required to hit target and ensure accurate and timely input into Dealtrack making sure that all reports are maintained, transparent and accurate at all times
• Be available to step up and attend meetings on behalf of the Senior Category Manager or Head of Category when required as part of your own personal development plan

This is a hybrid-based opportunity with true flexibility to work from home, but you should be within commutable distance of our office in Crick, Northamptonshire.

You'll live and breathe our Customer First ethos, with an innovative and agile approach to problem-solving. You'll enjoy working collaboratively with the wider Category team and you'll be committed to acting with integrity and honesty in everything you do.

• Analytical capability coupled with a strong level of commercial acumen
• Good organisational, prioritisation and time skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Rounded communication skills in person & in writing
• Great attention to detail
• Confidence to build relationships
• Comfortable working at pace and most of all not be afraid to get stuck in
• Have an innovative and agile approach to identify solutions
• Enjoy working collaboratively with a dedicated focus on driving results
• Experience in a retail or branch network
• Have undertaken a category range and plan review- preferred

It is highly likely you will have worked in any of the following roles and/or markets, and worked with the following products and/or services: Buying, Procurement, Category, Commercial, Negotiation. Building, Construction, Retail, FMCG, Manufacturing, Mechanical.

From boilers to bathroom suites, tubing to towel rails and everything in between, City Plumbing has all the products our customers need to complete the job. And we have all you need to build a successful career We're proud of our reputation for selling quality plumbing and heating products to both trade and retail customers and we're super excited about our future. We put our colleagues at the heart of all we do, giving them all the tools they need to be successful, happy and feel rewarded in their career with us.

• Bonus
• Discounts, savings and cash back at numerous retailers
• Life assurance
• Extended family policy including maternity, paternity, additional annual leave and more
• Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programme, we look out for each other
• Complete induction and a company that lets you grow and encourages development
• Financial education and loans
• Flexible working options
• A business striving to create an environment of inclusion so everyone can be their true self
• And more

We're passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity. Bring your whole self to work regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We don't want you to 'fit' our culture, we want you to enrich it.

We are committed to best practices in recruitment and undertake Basic Criminal Record Disclosures for candidates that are offered employment within our branches that undertake deliveries for British Gas. This check will only be undertaken after the acceptance of an offer of employment.