Category Manager

Kukoon; Newry; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic interior design firm in Northern Ireland is seeking a Category Manager to oversee product categories such as cushions and throws. The ideal candidate should have over 3 years of experience in category management, strong analytical abilities, and excellent negotiation skills. This role offers a four-day working week, among other benefits. Join a team that values creativity and growth in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

4 day working week

Electric Car onsite charging

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Generous staff discount

Great working culture

Qualifications

• 3-5+ years in category management, buying, merchandising, or similar.
• Ability to analyze data and provide insights.
• Experience with vendor negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Set direction for product categories focusing on cushions, throws, and homewares.
• Define product vision, opportunities, and sales targets.
• Curate product mix based on trends and customer feedback.
• Build pricing strategies in collaboration with Senior Management.
• Negotiate with suppliers to ensure quality and pricing.

Skills

Category management

Commercial acumen

Analytical mindset

Excellent negotiation skills

Passion for design

Job description

Hey! We’re Kukoon, and we don’t just sell rugs; we design, curate, and deliver interiors with personality. We move fast, we care deeply about quality and detail, and we believe in giving our people room to grow, challenge, improve, and have fun while doing it.

We’re growing and are now recruiting aCategory Managerto take the reins on our new Product Categories, drive growth, differentiate us on the market, and bring the “magic” in the details.

Key Responsibilities

As a Category Manager at Kukoon, you’ll treat your Category like a small business. You’re not a passenger, you’re the driver. Here’s how you’ll spend your time:

Shape the Category
You’ll set the direction for your category - starting with cushions and throws, and more homewares down the line. You’ll define a vision, spot opportunities and threats, and own the targets for sales, margin, growth, and market share.

Curate the Mix
You’ll decide what to launch, promote and retire, using customer feedback, trends, and competitor insights. You’ll take ownership of product briefs, cost models, quality specs, and packaging to make sure every product is a winner.

Price, Promotion & Profit
Work with the Senior Management Team to co-own the P&L. Build pricing strategies, promotional plans, and markdowns, keeping an eye on profitability and adjusting when needed.

Suppliers & Sourcing
Negotiate with vendors on pricing, quality, sampling, and packaging, manage relationships, resolve issues, and evaluate new suppliers to mitigate risk and keep our supply chain strong.

Analysis & Insights
Tracking KPIs like sell-through, margin, turnover, and growth will be your thing. You’ll dive into customer behaviour, sales trends, and price elasticity, then present insights and recommendations to leadership.

Leadership & SMT
As part of the Senior Management Team, you’ll present insights, report on performance, challenge colleagues constructively, and offer & receive feedback to help drive the business forward.

What we’re looking for

We want someone who pushes us forward, not someone who just “fits the mould.”

Must-have:

• 3-5+ years in category management, buying, merchandising, or similar
• Strong commercial acumen
• Analytical mindset - you live in data but speak human
• Excellent negotiation skills with vendors
• Passion for products, trends, design, customers
  
  

Bonus, if you have:

• Experience in interiors, home goods, furniture, home décor
• E-commerce / digital channel experience
• International / multi-market sourcing experience

Why join Kukoon?

• 4 day working week, 6 months per year! Have every Friday off between April and October without using any Annual Leave!
• A fast-paced digital-first company that thrives on continually improving
• Electric Car onsite charging
• Enhanced Maternity Pay
• Generous staff discount - and we mean HUGE!
• Great working culture that values people who work hard, achieve results and like to have a bit of craic doing it

We are Kukooners

At Kukoon, we’re all about creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and valued. We know that diverse teams bring fresh ideas, different perspectives, and better results. No matter your background or story, we’d love to hear from you. If there’s anything you need during the application process, just let us know.