Category Manager

Co-op Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A retail cooperative in Manchester is seeking a Category Manager to lead customer-focused strategies. The role involves using data insights to improve product ranges and enhance customer satisfaction. You will work closely with various teams to analyze performance and launch products that meet customer needs. This hybrid position offers competitive salary and benefits, including an annual bonus, holiday entitlement, and career development opportunities.

Benefits

Annual bonus based on performance

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

Subsidized onsite gym access

Coaching and training for career development

Access to earned pay through Stream app

Qualifications

• Experience in shaping customer-led category strategies.
• Hands-on experience with data analysis tools.
• Confidence in presenting insights and strategies.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with internal teams for category success.
• Monitor market trends to adapt strategies.
• Develop and communicate customer-focused plans.

Skills

Data analysis skills

Commercial awareness

Communication

MicroStrategy

Circana

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Overview

Category Manager
£41,000 - £48,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)
Manchester City Centre, hybrid role with time split between home and coming into the office at least two to three times a week.

We're looking for a customer-focused Category Manager to join our Propositions team.

In this role, you'll help shape category strategies that truly reflect what our customers want and need. From pricing and promotions to product ranges, you'll use insight and data to make decisions that improve customer experience and drive performance. It's a brilliant opportunity to work closely with senior leaders and partners, and make a real impact on our Food business.

Why this job matters

This role sits at the heart of our trading strategy, with a clear focus on delivering for our customers. You'll analyse performance, identify opportunities, and help shape compelling category propositions that meet customer expectations. Whether it's reviewing the competitive landscape, forecasting demand, or briefing commercial teams, your insight will help us make smarter decisions that put customers first. You'll be a trusted voice in the room, confidently presenting your findings and influencing plans that improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

What you'll do

• Build strong relationships with internal teams and channel partners to deliver customer-led category success
• Visit stores and monitor the market to spot emerging trends and evolving customer needs
• Use data and insight to shape decisions across product range, pricing, and promotions that resonate with customers
• Develop strategies and clearly communicate customer-focused plans to commercial teams
• Work with the Senior Category Manager to analyse category performance and build plans that improve customer choice and value
• Help launch own-brand products that meet customer expectations and
• Support promotional planning and review effectiveness of execution
• Brief commercial teams on cost targets and promotional activity that align with customer value
• Contribute to budgeting and forecasting, keeping a close eye on category performance and customer impact

This role would suit people who have

• A knack for turning complex data into clear, customer-relevant insights
• Hands-on experience with tools like MicroStrategy, Circana, Excel, and PowerPoint
• A strong sense of commercial awareness, especially around cost, volume, and customer value
• The confidence to communicate clearly and present ideas that influence customer-led decisions
• A good understanding of GSCOP and other key policies, and how to apply them in a customer-first way

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:

• 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)
• Coaching and training to support your career development
• Stream app - giving you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn

Building a diverse environment

We're actively building diverse teams and we welcome applications from everyone. If you have a disability, we can make reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process according to your needs. We're also part of the Disability Confident scheme, meaning we'll always offer an interview to disabled candidates who apply through the scheme if they meet the minimum criteria for a job.

We'll ask whether you'd like to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme when you apply.

If we invite you to take part in the recruitment process for any of our jobs, we'll ask you if you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate.

You can find out more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

You can find out more about the Disability Confident scheme at Disability Confident Scheme - Co-op Colleagues and more about our commitments to diversity and inclusion at Diversity and Inclusion

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.