Category Manager - Homewares (Hybrid)

I Love My Job Ltd.; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

I Love My Job Ltd. in Birmingham, UK, is partnering with a dynamic global lifestyle brand to recruit a commercial Category Manager to oversee a market-leading category including mirrors and cabinets.

This senior role offers cradle-to-grave ownership, from supplier quotes through to in-store execution and sell-through. This is a strategic, hands-on role for someone with a genuinely curious, technical product mind who wants to drive range, innovation, and profitability.

Qualifications

• Experience in category management or buying within consumer lifestyle, home, or FMCG sectors with direct supplier interaction and negotiation.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to interpret sales data and market trends.
• Excellent project management skills and the ability to oversee multiple product streams simultaneously.
• A genuine product-technical mindset – curious about functionality and how things are made, rather than trend- or design-led.
• Collaborative and confident in communicating with branches, internal teams, and external partners, including training and merchandising support post-launch.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and a focus on delivery.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term strategy for the category - thinking in thin layers rather than big-bang change.
• Own the category cradle-to-grave – from supplier quotes and sourcing through to launch, in-branch execution, commercial performance, and retirement of lines.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and consumer insights to inform category planning and identify differentiation.
• Develop genuine technical understanding of the range – working with the design team.
• Make decisions on pricing, range architecture, and innovation priorities to maximise performance and profitability.
• Collaborate with supply chain and sales teams to ensure timely delivery within margin targets.
• Treat launch as an ongoing process – ensure stores receive training and support for sustained sell-through.
• Liaise with marketing to position and support the range from launch through ongoing in-store performance.
• Maintain oversight of product quality, sustainability requirements, and regulatory compliance.
• Implement process improvements to streamline category management and supplier interactions.
• Support accuracy of product information across marketing, merchandising, and retail channels.
• Communicate updates and plans across teams to ensure alignment on strategy and goals.
• Work with other category leads to maintain brand execution consistency.
• Provide insights based on sales data and post-launch performance to guide future development.

Skills

Category management

Supplier interaction

Commercial acumen

Project management

Product-technical mindset

Cross-functional communication

Detail-oriented

Job description

I Love My Job Ltd. in Birmingham, UK, is partnering with a dynamic global lifestyle brand to recruit a commercial Category Manager to oversee a market-leading category including mirrors and cabinets.

This senior role offers cradle-to-grave ownership, from supplier quotes through to in-store execution and sell-through. This is a strategic, hands-on role for someone with a genuinely curious, technical product mind who wants to drive range, innovation, and profitability.