Category Controller - Wholesale

Undisclosed; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Undisclosed is seeking an experienced Category Controller to lead the category team, build supplier relationships and develop category strategies that deliver margin and efficiency in a fast-paced FMCG environment.

You will lead Category Managers and Assistants, drive operational excellence, and collaborate with the finance team to maximise profitability while maintaining price integrity and customer value. This is an onsite, permanent role in North West London.

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading a Trading team with trading accountability in a complex environment.
• Significant experience in senior commercial, buying, or trading in food retail or FMCG.
• Proven ability to negotiate high-impact deals on costing and margin.
• Strong data interpretation to inform decisions.
• Experience in managing and developing teams.
• Deep understanding of merchandising, profitability, and supply chain management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrable strategic thinking with experience delivering business change.

Responsibilities

• Providing excellent service to customers through customer-centric ranges, price integrity, value, quality assurance and NPS review.
• Delivering financial targets through P&L ownership, budget management and sales strategy execution.
• Leading and developing the team of Category Managers and Category Assistants.
• Leveraging market position to maintain supplier relationships and drive performance.
• Ensuring operational excellence through supply chain oversight, wastage control and compliance & food safety.
• Collaborating with Finance to maximise margin and profitability.

Skills

Trading leadership

Senior commercial role

Negotiation

Data interpretation

Team management

Merchandising profitability

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Job description

The location of the role is North West London (onsite).

The salary on offer is up to £80,000 - £90,000 per annum.

The role is permanent.

Role Summary

We’re searching for an experienced Category Controller to lead the category team in maintaining excellent supplier relationships, developing effective category strategies and gaining competitive edge in the marketplace. Using your strong leadership skills, you’ll strive to deliver operational excellence by finding new ways to continuously improve and maximise efficiency.

Key accountabilities of the role

• Providing excellent service to our customers through customer-centric ranges, price integrity & value, quality assurance and reviewing NPS data.
• Delivering financial targets through P&L ownership, budget management and the execution of effective sales strategies.
• Creating a supportive team culture to lead and develop the team of Category Managers and Category Assistants.
• Effectively leveraging the business’ position in the market to maintain strong supplier relationships and drive performance.
• Ensuring operational excellence through supply chain oversight, wastage control and ensuring compliance & food safety.
• Collaborating with the Finance team to ensure we have the commercial insights required to maximise margin and profitability.

Key skills and experience

• Proven track record leading a Trading team with Trading functional accountability working with and effectively influencing senior stakeholders, in a complex and multi-functional operating environment, where there are competing priorities
• Significant experience in a senior commercial, buying, or trading role within the food retail or FMCG sector.
• Proven ability to negotiate high-impact deals on costing and margin.
• Strong skills in data interpretation to inform decisions.
• Experience in managing and developing teams.
• A deep understanding of merchandising, profitability, and supply chain management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrable strategic thinking ability with experience of being solely accountable for developing and delivering business step change in a Trading environment