Category Manager - Hotels

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the UK gift experience market is seeking a Category Manager for a 9-month contract in London. This role focuses on driving the Hotels & Short Breaks category, utilizing data analytics and strong relationship management to enhance performance and customer offerings. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strategic thinking and commercial acumen, with a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in category management, account management, or buying.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
• Confident communicator with excellent people skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies to grow revenue and margin.
• Manage and grow existing partner relationships.
• Analyse performance data to optimise product selection and pricing.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Strategic thinking

Data analysis

Communication

Problem-solving

Relationship management

Job description

About us:

Buyagift and Red Letter Days are the UK's leading gift experience provider. Our core focus is to deliver happiness to our customers, suppliers, team and retail partners, we aim to do this by providing industry leading products. The iconic Red Letter Days brand was added to our portfolio in November 2017, and we are extremely proud to be part of the Moonpig Group since July 2022.Our people are a fundamental driver of our success. We place great importance on nurturing exceptional people as we firmly believe that our competitive advantage stems from the capabilities and potential of our workforce. Our People team helps to drive those efforts across the business.

London - Hybrid (2 days per week in the office) | Competitive Salary + Benefits

About the role

We're looking for a commercially driven and strategic Category Manager to join our Buying team on a 9-month fixed-term contract. In this high-impact role, you'll take ownership of our Hotels & Short Breaks category across Buyagift and Red Letter Days. Using data analysis, market insights, and creativity, you'll drive performance, grow our partnerships, and ensure our experience offering stays fresh and competitive. If you're passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences and love working collaboratively to achieve results, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute category strategies to grow revenue and margin.
• Manage and grow existing partner relationships as a trusted commercial advisor.
• Work closely with the Partner Acquisition team to onboard new partners for success.
• Identify opportunities to expand hotel experiences through additional products such as Afternoon Tea or Spa packages.
• Analyse performance data to optimise product selection, pricing, and availability.
• Collaborate with Trading and Marketing teams to align category plans and promotional calendars.
• Lead category reviews and planning sessions with partners.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and customer behaviour to inform strategy.
• Identify underperformance and implement action plans for improvement.
• Ensure all category activity supports our business goals and customer promise.

About You:

• Proven experience in category management, account management, or buying within retail, e-commerce, or marketplace environments.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking with a focus on delivering results.
• Confident and persuasive communicator with excellent people skills.
• Comfortable working with data to drive insights and decisions.
• Proactive and solutions-focused, with the ability to spot and act on opportunities quickly.
• Passionate about innovation, customer experiences, and driving growth.
• Well-connected within relevant industries (a plus).

We live by our company core purpose of Delivering Happiness - Amazing People. We only hire amazing people like you, if this is you and if this sounds like the opportunity you have been looking for, we would love to hear from you.

Our mission

For everyone in the UK to create unique memories that last a lifetime

Our vision

To be the most trusted platform in the UK gift experience market

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity

We're committed to creating an inclusive and caring culture with amazing people who feel a real sense of belonging. We welcome and celebrate all diverse backgrounds - from working parents who need flexibility with their hours, individuals who are neurodiverse and prefer to work a certain way to those from underrepresented communities. We're proud to have an employee-led group pushing the agenda on all things inclusive. And we will continue to strive for diversity and that sense of belonging so that each and every one of our team have a safe and comfortable environment in which they can be themselves and thrive at work.