Category Manager

Co-op; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 33,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

28 days holiday

Employer pension contributions (up to

Onsite gym access

Discount on Co-op products

Pay access (Stream)

Virtual healthcare

24/7 colleague support

Training and development

Cycle-to-work scheme

Job summary

Co-op Wholesale in Manchester is seeking a Category Manager to own category strategies, pricing, and promotions for our wholesale partners. You’ll shape assortments and work closely with suppliers to drive growth in a fast-paced market.

You will analyse market trends and customer insights to enable informed decisions, support P&L targets, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver compelling category plans and initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experience in retail, wholesale, FMCG or similar fast-paced environment.
• Understanding how range, pricing and promotions drive sales, margin and customer value.
• Ability to translate customer and market insights into commercial decisions.
• Experience building strong relationships with suppliers and stakeholders to deliver results.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to influence decisions.
• Proficiency with commercial reporting and insight tools like MicroStrategy and Circana.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of assigned categories, developing and delivering commercial strategies that drive profitable growth and customer value.
• Manage category performance using sales, margin and market data to identify opportunities, mitigate risks and meet P&L targets.
• Create compelling, trend-led assortments and promotional plans that meet customer needs and support wholesale partner success.
• Develop pricing and promotional strategies balancing competitiveness, value and performance.
• Build relationships with suppliers, negotiating terms and activation opportunities that grow category performance.
• Spend time with customers, partners and in-market to identify trends and opportunities.
• Collaborate with buying, sales, supply chain, finance and marketing to execute category plans.
• Use insights to influence decisions and provide clear recommendations to stakeholders.
• Support development of new propositions, seasonal campaigns and category initiatives to strengthen Co-op Wholesale.

Skills

Category management

Pricing strategy

Promotions planning

Supplier relations

Communication

Data analysis

MS Excel

PowerPoint

GSCOP knowledge

Market insights

Tools

MicroStrategy

Circana

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Category Manager
Up to £55,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)
Manchester City Centre, in this role you'll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and coming into the office at least two to three times a week (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy).
12-month fixed-term contract

We're looking for a Category Manager to join us at Co-op Wholesale. If you're passionate about shaping winning category strategies, spotting opportunities in the market and turning customer insight into commercial success, this is an opportunity to take ownership of your categories and make a real impact on a growing part of our business.

Why this job matters

As a Category Manager, you'll be the driving force behind your categories, shaping the products, pricing and promotions that help our wholesale partners succeed. You'll combine customer insight, market trends and commercial performance data to create compelling category plans that deliver profitable growth and strengthen our position in the market.
Working closely with suppliers and cross-functional teams, you'll have the opportunity to influence key decisions, build differentiated propositions and develop ranges that meet the changing needs of customers and partners. This is a role where you'll be empowered to own your categories, deliver commercial results and help shape the future of Co-op Wholesale.

What you'll do

• Take ownership of assigned categories, developing and delivering commercial strategies that drive profitable growth and customer value
• Manage category performance, using sales, margin and market data to identify opportunities, mitigate risks and deliver against P&L targets
• Create compelling, trend-led assortments and promotional plans that meet customer needs and support wholesale partner success
• Develop pricing and promotional strategies that balance competitiveness, customer value and commercial performance
• Build strong relationships with suppliers, negotiating commercial terms, promotional funding and activation opportunities that drive category growth
• Spend time with customers, partners and in the market to understand emerging trends, shopper behaviour and future opportunities
• Collaborate with teams across buying, sales, supply chain, finance and marketing to ensure successful execution of category and promotional plans
• Use customer, sales and market insights to influence decisions and provide clear, commercially focused recommendations to stakeholders
• Support the development of new propositions, seasonal campaigns and category initiatives that strengthen Co-op Wholesale's offer and drive loyalty

What you'll bring

• Category, commercial or trading experience within retail, wholesale, FMCG or a similar fast-paced environment
• A strong understanding of how range, pricing and promotional decisions drive sales, margin and customer value
• The ability to use customer, market and performance insights to identify opportunities and make sound commercial decisions
• Experience building strong relationships with suppliers and stakeholders, influencing outcomes and delivering results through collaboration
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to challenge thinking and champion your recommendations
• Experience using commercial reporting and insight tools such as MicroStrategy, Circana, Excel and PowerPoint, alongside a good understanding of GSCOP

Why Co-op?

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you'll belong

We're building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We're proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we'll support you.
Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.