Category Assistant - Toys

Very Group; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

£250 flexible benefits allowance

27 days holiday

LinkedIn Learning access

Bonus potential

Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk

Matched pension up to 6%

Job summary

The Very Group in Liverpool is seeking a merchandising/analytical professional to manage day-to-day category operations. You will own brands, handle product setup, pricing, and promotions while tracking performance to ensure competitiveness in a fast-paced toy category.

You will monitor trends, collaborate with Trading, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams, and drive category growth. The role requires strong Excel skills, a proactive mindset, and the ability to work in a hybrid environment.

Qualifications

• MS Excel expertise and data analysis skills.
• Experience in a Merchandising or analytical head office role is desirable.
• Creative, organized and innovative approach to problems.
• Energetic, motivated and capable of working under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage brands with a focus on day-to-day execution and performance.
• Take responsibility for product setup, pricing, promotions, and ongoing performance tracking.
• Innovate product ranges, drive performance, and support category growth.
• Spot trends and monitor emerging brands to stay ahead of the curve.
• Influence decisions across Trading, Marketing, Supply Chain, Pricing, and Commercial.

Skills

MS Excel

Merchandising experience

Analytical mindset

Job description

About us

We’re the team behind digital retailer Very.

Our purpose, helping families get more out of life, powers everything we do.

And we want our people to get more out of life too! If you’re high-performing, ambitious and make the most of every opportunity, we want to hear from you. In return, you’ll enjoy heaps of flexibility, great perks and benefits, and the freedom to be yourself, keep learning and take your career wherever you want it to go.

If you love making a difference, you’ll love making it sparkle for millions of Very customers.

About the team

Join the Toys Team, a fast-paced, high energy and exciting category which requires strategic thinking and success built from strong supplier relationships. In this role, you’ll take ownership of key brands and product areas, playing a central role in shaping the category’s future. A unique opportunity to develop professionally while gaining hands-on experience in a fast-moving and evolving space. You’ll monitor emerging brands, spot market trends, and collaborate across functions to maximize success.

About the role

In this role, you will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations, maintaining high standards in data accuracy in order to keep everything running smoothly. You will use pricing tools daily to ensure the category is competitive versus the market - making pricing decisions and evolving product ranges to meet customer needs.

• Own and manage your brands with a strong focus on day-to-day execution and performance

• Take full accountability for product setup, pricing, promotions, and ongoing performance tracking

• Innovate product ranges, drive performance, and fuel category growth

• Spot trends, track emerging brands, and stay ahead of the curve.

• Influence decisions across Trading, Marketing, Supply Chain, Pricing, and Commercial.

• Build strong relationships with leading Toy manufacturers in the industry.

• Confidence in merchandising- daily use of forecasting app, reviewing intake and stock position to align to overall category budgets, weekly conversations with suppliers to monitor and control stock health.

If you thrive in a dynamic environment and are eager to take ownership, develop key relationships, and drive category success, this role is your next step.

About you

• Strong experience with MS Excel

• Experience within a Merchandising or Analytical head office role is desirable

• Creative, organised and innovative

• Passionate, driven and brings energy to the role

• Ability to work under pressure and in a fast-paced environment

• Champions what is right for the business, team and customer

Some of our benefits

• Flexible, hybrid working model

• Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews

• £250 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays

• LinkedIn Learning access

• Bonus potential (performance and business-related)

• Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk

• Matched pension up to 6%

• More benefits can be found on our career site

What happens next?

Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely.

You can expect a one stage interview process for this position:

1st stage - A one hour face-to-face interview with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience + competency questions. This is also a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.

As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.

If you'd like to know more about our interviews, you can find out here.

Diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities

We’re building a culture of everyday inclusion, and welcome applications from anyone who believes they can do the job. We don’t discriminate based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you need reasonable adjustments to apply, interview, or perform a role, let us know via [e-mail]. We’ll be happy to support you.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer and have nine brilliant colleague networks - including DAWN (Disability Awareness at Very) and Think (Neurodiversity at Very) - that are helping us make Very an even more inclusive place to work.