Category Manager - Wholesale

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); Scunthorpe; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail organization is seeking a Category Manager to drive performance across product categories in a hybrid role based in Manchester and Scunthorpe. You will collaborate with teams to develop pricing, range, and promotional strategies while building strong supplier relationships. The ideal candidate brings experience in category management and strong negotiation skills. This role offers a competitive salary, annual bonus, and a comprehensive benefits package including generous leave and discounts.

Benefits

Annual bonus

28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service)

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

30% discount on Co-op products

Early access to earnings

Virtual healthcare

24/7 colleague support service

Training and support for development

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working as a Category Manager.
• Proven track record in effective trading strategies.
• Ability to turn data into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned product category and drive performance.
• Plan range, pricing, and promotional strategies.
• Monitor category performance and hit targets.
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Build strong supplier relationships.

Skills

Category Management

Sales Skills

Negotiation Skills

Communication Skills

Collaboration Skills

Data Analysis

Job description

Job Description

Category Manager

£41,000 to £48,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)

Location: Manchester/Scunthorpe (hybrid working - typically two to three days per week spent across our Manchester and Scunthorpe offices, with at least one day each week based in Scunthorpe)

Co‑op Wholesale is growing, and we're looking for talented people who want to help shape what comes next. As a Category Manager in our brand‑new Trading team, you'll manage the pricing, range, and promotions for your category. We'll look to you to work closely with our buying teams and your category's supplier base to develop a market‑leading range of products for our wholesale partners.

Why this role matters

We're building something big at Co‑op Wholesale. With a refreshed structure and exciting plans ahead, we're creating new opportunities to strengthen our proposition for our independent retailers, key accounts, and a growing corporate client base. To do that, we need product ranges that stand out, and reflect the biggest market trends and opportunities. This is where you come in.

This is your chance to help bring new ideas to life and make a real impact across Co‑op Wholesale. Be part of it.

What you’ll do

• Manage your assigned product category and drive performance across channels
• Work with our Senior Category Manager to plan and deliver effective range, pricing, and promotional strategies
• Monitor category performance and make sure we're hitting our targets
• Use data and market insights to identify trends, risks, and opportunities
• Collaborate with colleagues across our supply chain, finance, and operations teams
• Build strong supplier relationships to deliver value for them and for Co‑op Wholesale

What you’ll bring

• Experience working as a Category Manager
• A track record of shaping and delivering effective trading strategies
• Great sales, negotiation, and supplier management skills
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• The ability to turn data and insights into actions that drive performance

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
• 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 https://jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion