Assistant Category Manager

Tagged Resources Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working - 3 days in the office

Job summary

Tagged Resources Ltd. is seeking an Assistant Category Manager to support range building, pricing and development across UK and FOB suppliers. You will work closely with the buying, merchandising, design and supply teams to deliver compelling product ranges.

The role requires strong organisation, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple ranges, suppliers and deadlines in a fast-paced retail environment. Hybrid role with three days in the office each week.

Qualifications

• Experience in buying, merchandising, category management, product development or related retail environment.
• Strong commercial awareness with understanding of pricing, competitor activity and customer expectations.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, able to manage multiple ranges and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail with large amounts of product, pricing and supplier data.
• Experience managing critical paths, product development and supplier timelines.
• Confident communicating with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Strong Excel and systems skills to maintain range plans and track information.
• Proactive attitude to identify issues and act before deadlines.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, commercially driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the Category Manager and Buying team with range building.
• Manage and maintain Range Plans, ensuring data is accurate and up to date.
• Support development of ranges with UK and FOB suppliers.
• Brief Designers and other teams on product and packaging requirements.
• Manage development range plans, tracking price points, product developments, milestones.
• Coordinate development samples to final sign-off.
• Conduct regular competitive shopping and benchmarking to understand pricing and offers.
• Complete price benchmarks and contribute to pricing discussions.
• Monitor and support pricing actions across lines and opportunities.
• Track multiple prices across UK and FOB lines; keep pricing information current.
• Support weekly trade activity and coordinate price drops or end-of-line activity.
• Maintain updates across systems and range planning tools.
• Manage and monitor critical path across product development and production.
• Track lead times and identify risks to shipment dates.
• Work with UK and FOB teams; follow up on samples, approvals and milestones.

Skills

Buying

Merchandising

Category management

Product development

Commercial awareness

Organisational skills

Time management

Excel & systems

Communication with stakeholders

Attention to detail

Tools

Excel

Range planning tools

Job description

The Company:

We are looking for a highly organised, commercially focused Assistant Category Manager to support the delivery and development of a successful product category. Working closely with the wider buying, merchandising, design and supply teams, you will play a key role in range building, product development, pricing, critical path management and trade activity.

Supporting the Category Manager to deliver a pipeline of new products for customer selection.

maintaining required administration accurately and completely.

The role requires strong attention to detail, commercial awareness and the ability to manage multiple product ranges, suppliers, price points and deadlines simultaneously.

Benefits

• Hybrid working - 3 days in the office a week.

Responsibilities

• Support the Category Manager and Buying team with range building
• Manage and maintain Range Plans, ensuring product, pricing, supplier and critical path information is accurate and up to date.
• Support the development of ranges working with both UK and FOB suppliers
• Brief Designers and other relevant teams on product and packaging requirements
• Manage development range plans, tracking multiple price points, product developments and key milestones
• Coordinate development samples, ensuring samples are received, reviewed and managed through to final sign-off
• Conduct regular competitive shopping and benchmarking (comp shops) to understand competitor pricing, product offers and market activity
• Complete frequent price benchmarks and contribute to discussions around pricing structures and recommended price actions
• Monitor and support pricing actions across key/high-cover lines, identifying opportunities and risks
• Track and maintain multiple prices across UK and FOB lines, ensuring pricing information remains accurate
• Support weekly trade activity
• Coordinate actions such as price drops, rebuys and end-of-line activity
• Maintain accurate and timely updates across systems and range planning tools
• Manage and monitor the critical path across product development and production
• Track lead times and proactively identify risks to shipment dates
• Work closely with UK and FOB
• Follow up on samples, approvals, production milestones and shipping requirements

Key Skills

• Experience within buying, merchandising, category management, product development or a related retail environment
• Strong commercial awareness with an understanding of pricing, competitor activity and customer expectations
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple ranges and deadlines simultaneously
• Strong attention to detail and confidence working with large amounts of product, pricing and supplier data
• Experience managing critical paths, product development and supplier timelines
• Confident communicating with internal stakeholders and external suppliers
• Strong Excel and systems skills, with the ability to maintain accurate range plans and track complex information
• Proactive approach, with the ability to identify issues and take action before they impact key deadlines
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, commercially driven environment

Please be aware the duties listed above are an interpretation of the role and do not form any part of your employment contract. Please ask the interviewer any questions about the role that you wish to clarify.