Head of Category

BGA; Swindon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading product development company in Swindon is seeking a Head of Category to lead the product strategy and manage the product team. This role requires 3+ years of leadership experience and strong analytical skills to guide product initiatives. The ideal candidate will deliver a sustainable strategy while ensuring cross-functional collaboration and product effectiveness. The position offers full-time employment and the opportunity to contribute significantly to the product lifecycle.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of leadership/management experience or proven success as a Product Manager.
• Commercial and financial expertise to guide product strategies.
• Automotive aftermarket experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Creating and owning the product strategy.
• Engaging key stakeholders and aligning the strategy across the business.
• Overseeing the product lifecycle from inception to retirement.

Skills

Excellent communication and people skills

Strong analytical and decision-making abilities

Advanced IT proficiency

Results-driven mindset

Problem-solving mindset

Tools

Excel

Job description

The Head of Category will lead the product strategy and oversee all aspects of the product team, driving the achievement of KPIs through robust, forward-thinking plans. They will guide the conception, development, innovation, and continuous improvement of BGA’s products, ensuring customer needs and market trends shape the strategy. This role involves managing the department, growing the team, and ensuring all functions are effectively executed.

Responsibilities

• Creating and owning the product strategy.
• Growing and managing the product team.
• Engaging key stakeholders and aligning the strategy across the business.
• Driving profitable growth across all product groups.
• Implementing the go-to-market strategy from planning to execution.
• Managing product performance, analysing trends, and identifying revenue or margin opportunities.
• Developing budgets, forecasts, and KPIs; monitoring and evaluating results.
• Ensuring cross-functional collaboration.
• Defining and implementing the pricing strategy.
• Delivering a sustainable new-to-range plan using project management tools.
• Marketing the range and brand to maintain prominence among professional tradespeople.
• Overseeing the product lifecycle from inception to retirement.
• Staying customer-focused, understanding their needs, and driving product demand.

Requirements

• Excellent communication and people skills with assertive leadership.
• 3+ years of leadership/management experience or proven success as a Product Manager ready to step up.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and decision-making abilities.
• Commercial and financial expertise to guide product strategies.
• Advanced IT proficiency, especially in Excel (formulas, pivot tables).
• Problem-solving mindset with the ability to synthesize data into actionable plans.
• Results-driven with a commitment to exceeding expectations.
• Automotive aftermarket experience preferred.

Job Category: Product

Job Type: Full Time

Job Location: Swindon