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Senior Category Manager

Scunthorpe

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Job ID 1060187 Job Category Wholesale Hours per Week 37.5 Salary Work Level 5

Date posted 10/16/2025

Please note this is an OD vacancy. This means that only impacted at risk colleagues will be considered in the recruitment process, please therefore ensure you answer yes when asked this screening question. Anyone who applies that is not at risk will either have their application declined, or if the vacancy remains unfilled, will be considered following a round of internal and external advertising.

Purpose	Lead a team of category managers to execute trading strategies. This role is accountable for driving commercial excellence through strategic pricing and range strategies, leading a high-performing team, and owning P&L performance across channels with a focus on customer value and profitability.
Reports to	Head of Trading	Line Manager of	Category Manager x 3 Category Assistant x2
Contribution	Inspire, leads and develops a high-performing team of category managers, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement to deliver best-in-class category performance. Drives commercial excellence by setting and executing strategic pricing, range, and promotional strategies that balance customer value with profitability across multiple channels. Translates strategic trading objectives into actionable plans that drive growth and margin. Champion innovation and continuous improvement across category planning and execution. Collaborates cross-functionally with supply chain, sales, finance, marketing, and operations teams to align category plans with broader business objectives and deliver seamless execution. Champions customer insight and market intelligence, using data to inform decisions that enhance the relevance and competitiveness of our product offer. Acts as a role model for co-operative behaviours, working inclusively and ethically to deliver shared success for our partners, colleagues, and customers. Builds senior relationships with supplier base, ensuring Co-op Wholesale maximise the return and offer from a broad set of suppliers.
Behaviours	Forging Relationships– I take action to build and nurture trusted relationships, in order to understand, support and guide others at all times Inspirational Communicator - I communicate in a clear, concise, appropriate, memorable and inspirational manner that engages others and encourages them to trust me. I listen to others first to understand Future Focus– I am inquisitive and drive my team to show that broad business insight, linked to future focused strategies, lead to commercial success, growth and increased opportunities for Co-op, our members and the local communities Customer & Member Focus – I understand the importance of our Co-op Customers & Members, acknowledging the critical role I play in Customer & Member satisfaction
Empowered to	Own the commercial strategy for assigned categories, including pricing, promotions, range architecture, and supplier negotiations, ensuring alignment with Co-op Wholesale strategic goals. Lead and be accountable for P&L performance, making decisions that drive profitability, customer value, and sustainable growth across multiple retail channels. Empower and develop their team, setting direction, coaching, and enabling category managers to deliver high-impact trading plans and personal growth. Shape and execute trading strategies, using data, insight, and market trends to inform decisions that enhance competitiveness and customer relevance. Represent the category function in cross-functional forums, influencing wider business decisions and ensuring category plans are integrated with supply chain, marketing, and operations. Drive continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to optimise processes, systems, and ways of working within the trading team and across the wider business.
Capabilities	Ability to build strong working relationships with key contacts/stakeholders across the organisation Inspirational communicator with an ability to inspire a team to deliver the commercial plan through clear deliverables and the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders Multi-channel knowledge to operate within a customer centric model Appropriate knowledge and experience within trading including advanced supplier relationship skills and advanced negotiation skills Listens to others and acts as a voice for the trading team Be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things Strong financial acumen Analytical thinking Strategic thinking Adaptive and resilient Ability to thrive in fast paced retail environment
Work Level Descriptor	Accountability Delivery of specialist work based on subject matter expertise, or leadership of large, complex teams. Responsible for developing the right capabilities either individually or within their team, enabling work to be delivered effectively. Manages team delivery in accordance with agreed budgets. Impact As a people-leader, takes responsibility for the delivery of work over shorter timeframes, contributing to achievement of the team's annual plan - empowering their team to deliver discrete pieces of work based on agreed processes. As an individual contributor, provides thought leadership to help shape the team's response to challenges, and approach to delivery of the short-term plan. 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. If an SME, collaborates with other teams proactively to ensure their expertise helps leaders make the best decisions for Co-op.