Category Controller

MacGregor Black; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

MacGregor Black is partnering with a leading UK retail group to appoint a Category Controller in York. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping category strategy, owning the P&L and directing a team of Category Managers and Assistants to deliver growth through strategic sourcing, pricing and promotions.

You will influence senior stakeholders, collaborate across Finance, Supply Chain and Operations, and drive commercial performance while ensuring customer value, profitability and

Qualifications

• Senior Buying, Trading or Category leadership experience in retail, wholesale or FMCG.
• Proven success leading large commercial teams and developing talent.
• Strong commercial acumen with ownership of category P&L.
• Excellent negotiation skills for significant commercial agreements.
• Strong analytical ability to translate data into decisions.
• Experience building long-term category strategies and growth.
• Understanding merchandising, pricing, supply chain and operations.
• Confident at executive-level stakeholder management.
• Strategic thinker delivering transformational change in a trading environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing category team across buying/trading.
• Own category P&L and deliver sales, margin and profitability targets.
• Develop and execute category strategies to drive growth and competitive advantage.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships and favorable agreements.
• Deliver customer-focused ranging, pricing and promotions to maximise value.
• Collaborate with Finance to identify opportunities and improve performance.
• Ensure supply chain management, stock availability and wastage control.
• Drive governance, compliance and food safety standards across the category.
• Analyse market trends and competitor activity to inform decisions.
• Influence senior stakeholders across functions to drive objectives.

Skills

Category leadership

P&L ownership

Negotiation skills

Analytical capability

Stakeholder management

Job description

Are you an experienced commercial leader with the ability to shape category strategy and deliver sustainable growth?

Do you thrive on leading high-performing buying and trading teams while influencing senior stakeholders across a complex business?

Are you looking for the opportunity to take full ownership of a major category portfolio within a market-leading retail and wholesale business?

MacGregor Black are partnering with a leading UK retail group on the search for a Category Controller. This is a permanent role based in York

This is a pivotal leadership position responsible for defining and delivering category strategy across a significant commercial portfolio. You'll lead a team of Category Managers and Category Assistants, driving commercial performance through strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, pricing, promotional planning and category development.

Working cross-functionally with Finance, Supply Chain and Operations, you'll influence key business decisions while maintaining a relentless focus on customer, profitability and operational excellence. This is an opportunity to make a genuine commercial impact within a large, fast-paced and highly ambitious organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing category team, creating a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Own category P&L, delivering sales, margin and profitability targets.
• Develop and execute category strategies that drive commercial growth and competitive advantage.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, negotiating commercially advantageous agreements.
• Deliver customer-focused ranging, pricing and promotional strategies that maximise value and enhance the customer proposition.
• Work closely with Finance to leverage commercial insight, identify opportunities and improve business performance.
• Ensure effective supply chain management, stock availability and wastage control across the category.
• Drive operational excellence, ensuring compliance, governance and food safety standards are consistently achieved.
• Analyse market trends, customer behaviour and competitor activity to inform strategic decision making.
• Influence senior stakeholders across multiple business functions to deliver business objectives.

What We're Looking For:

• Significant experience in a senior Buying, Trading or Category leadership role within retail, wholesale or FMCG.
• Demonstrable success leading large commercial teams and developing future talent.
• Strong commercial acumen with proven ownership of category P&L and financial performance.
• Excellent negotiation skills with experience delivering significant commercial agreements.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to translate data into commercial decisions.
• Experience developing long-term category strategies and delivering measurable business growth.
• Deep understanding of merchandising, pricing, supply chain and commercial operations.
• Confident stakeholder manager with the ability to influence at executive level.
• Strategic thinker with a track record of delivering transformational change within a trading environment.

For more information, contact Alice Redmond