Category Manager

The Purpose of this role is to shape and manage specific product categories and promotional strategies across wholesale channels, in order to deliver commercially successful ranges and drive profitable growth, so that Co-op Wholesale can meet customer needs and strengthen partner relationships. 

This role is accountable for owning category strategy, delivering P&L performance, curating trend-led assortments, and ensuring flawless execution through cross-functional collaboration.

• Own and lead assigned product categories strategically, acting as the subject matter expert to shape category vision and direction in line with Co-op Wholesales commercial goals.
• Deliver category P&L performance by planning and executing effective range, pricing, and promotional strategies that balance customer value with profitability.
• Curate trend-led, high-performing assortments in collaboration with the GCL, ensuring relevance to wholesale partners and alignment with shopper needs.
• Drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by offering compelling, differentiated ranges that reflect market trends, seasonal opportunities, and Co-op brand strengths.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with teams across buying, sales, supply chain, marketing, and finance to ensure flawless execution of category plans and promotional activity.
• Negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive terms, activation funding, and media packages that support promotional success and margin delivery.
• Use data and insights to inform decisions, analysing sales performance, customer behaviour, and market dynamics to identify opportunities and mitigate risks.
• Support Co-op’s growth strategy by tailoring category propositions for new markets and wholesale segments, contributing to expansion and partner success.
• Enhance Co-op’s wholesale brand proposition by developing promotional packages and loyalty-building initiatives that differentiate our offer in a competitive market.
• Set line level pricing for PLOFs based on a proposition framework, ensuring trading margin targets achieved

Forging Relationships - Builds trusted partnerships across buying, sales, supply chain, marketing, and finance to ensure smooth execution of category plans and promotional activity.

Driving Innovation - Curates trend-led assortments and develops differentiated offers, using insights and creativity to stay ahead of market trends and meet evolving customer needs.

Successful Transformation - taking accountability for delivering commercial outcomes and contributing to Co-op’s wider transformation goals.

Inspirational Communicator - Clearly articulates category strategies and influences internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, to align on goals and drive results.

Future Focussed - Uses data and market insights to anticipate trends, identify opportunities, and shape long-term category plans aligned with Co-op’s strategic direction.

• Strategically own assigned product categories, including full accountability for their commercial performance, customer relevance, and alignment with Co-op’s values.
• Make decisions on range, pricing, and promotional strategy within their categories, balancing commercial targets with customer needs and ethical sourcing principles.
• Act as the subject matter expert for their categories, influencing cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders with insight-led recommendations.
• Lead supplier relationships within their category, including negotiation of terms, promotional funding, and joint business planning.
• Shape and deliver category plans that contribute to overall business strategy, including seasonal campaigns, innovation pipelines, and market expansion.
• Own the category P&L, with responsibility for delivering sales, margin, and stock targets through effective planning and execution.
• Drive customer and market insight into decision-making, using data to identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and respond to trends.
• Represent the category in cross-functional forums, ensuring alignment across supply chain, marketing, finance, and commercial leadership.

• Commerciality – to drive category profitability and make commercially sound decisions. 
• Strategic Thinking – to shape long-term category plans aligned with business goals. 
• Analytical Thinking – to interpret data and insights for performance improvement. 
• Supplier Management – to negotiate and manage supplier relationships effectively. 
• Stakeholder Management – to collaborate across functions and influence outcomes. 
• Customer Focus/Service Delivery – to ensure ranges meet customer needs and expectations. 
• Communication – to clearly articulate category strategies and influence internal and external stakeholders. 
• Initiative – to proactively identify opportunities and lead category improvements.

Accountability

• Professional roles providing expertise and advice, or middle management roles leading operational teams. 
• Manages team delivery in accordance with agreed budgets.

Impact

• As a people-leader, takes responsibility for the delivery of operational work over short timeframes, empowering their team to deliver discrete pieces of work based on set procedures.
• As an individual contributor, provides thought leadership to determine the most effective approach to challenges within own area of expertise. 
• Supports and promotes a culture of inclusivity through the actions they take.

Co-operation

• Contributes to short-term planning within the team and collaborates with peers to deliver great work that enables the team to succeed.
• Identifies and shares opportunities to improve the way the Co-op operates, to successfully achieve our vision.