Category Manager

Interim Staffing; Dunnington; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Discretionary annual bonus up to 10%

22 days' annual leave + holidays

Private medical insurance

Life insurance (3x annual salary)

Hybrid working 1-2 days from home

Free on-site parking

Career development opportunities

Collaborative, ambitious environment

Job summary

Interim Staffing in the United Kingdom is seeking a Category Manager for the wholesale food industry. You will work closely with suppliers, sales, marketing, procurement and operations to identify market trends, optimise product ranges, negotiate opportunities, and ensure category competitiveness in a fast-paced wholesale environment.

This role blends strategic thinking with hands-on commercial decision-making, requiring data-driven insights and strong stakeholder influence across the business.

Qualifications

• Experience in category management within wholesale, foodservice, FMCG, or food manufacturing.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
• Excellent analytical skills with sales and market data.
• Knowledge of category management principles.
• Advanced Excel skills and reporting experience.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies that drive growth and profitability.
• Analyse sales data, market trends, customer insights, and competitor activity to identify opportunities.
• Manage product assortment, pricing, promotions, and lifecycle planning.
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers, negotiating commercial agreements and promotional plans.
• Identify opportunities to improve margins while delivering value to customers.
• Stay informed on industry trends, legislation, and consumer behaviour within the food sector.

Skills

Category management

Negotiation

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication

Relationship-building

Market trends

Strategic thinking

Tools

Excel

Job description

Category Manager - Wholesale Food Industry

Category Manager

About the Role

Working closely with suppliers, sales, marketing, procurement, and operations, you will identify market trends, optimise product ranges, negotiate commercial opportunities, and ensure our categories remain competitive in a fast-paced wholesale environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced category professional who enjoys combining strategic thinking with hands-on commercial decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies that support business growth and profitability.
• Analyse sales data, market trends, customer insights, and competitor activity to identify opportunities.
• Manage product assortment, pricing, promotions, and lifecycle planning.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, negotiating commercial agreements and promotional plans.
• Identify opportunities to improve margins while delivering value to customers.
• Stay informed on industry trends, legislation, and consumer behaviour within the food sector.

About You

You’ll be commercially focused, data-driven, and confident influencing stakeholders across the business.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Previous experience in a Category Manager, Category Executive, Buying, or Commercial role within the wholesale, foodservice, FMCG, or food manufacturing sector.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
• Excellent analytical skills with experience interpreting sales and market data.
• Strong knowledge of category management principles.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience using reporting tools.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Desirable

• Experience working within the wholesale food industry.
• Knowledge of retail or foodservice market trends.
• Experience with category insight tools such as Nielsen, Circana, or similar.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary.
• Discretionary annual bonus of up to 10%.
• 22 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase additional holiday.
• Private medical insurance.
• 3x annual salary life insurance.
• Flexible working hours to support work-life balance.
• Hybrid working with 1-2 days per week working from home.
• Free on-site parking.
• Opportunities for career development and professional growth.
• A collaborative, supportive, and ambitious working environment.