Head of Category Management - Franchise

SSP Food Travel Experts; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food travel company is seeking a Head of Category Management to lead commercial strategy across the UK & Ireland. This hybrid role involves pricing, category planning, and strategic initiatives that impact brands and customers. Candidates should have strong retail experience, analytical skills, and the ability to manage a team. The position offers employee discounts, a flexible working model, and development programs.

Benefits

Employee Discounts across brands

Friends and Family Discount App

Award-winning training and development programs

Health & Wellbeing Support

Flexible hybrid working model

Inclusive workplace with employee networks

Qualifications

• Strong commercial experience in retail, franchise, or consumer-facing businesses.
• Proven track record of turning insights into action.
• Confident communicator who can simplify complex ideas.

Responsibilities

• Lead pricing strategy and category planning across Bars, Coffee & Bakery, and Retail.
• Identify opportunities to enhance commercial performance and growth.
• Oversee promotions, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable impact.
• Collaborate with teams to align plans with business priorities.
• Build analytical tools to support data-driven decisions.
• Lead and inspire a small team of analysts.

Skills

Commercial experience in retail

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Team management

Innovative mindset

Job description

About the Role

Location: London Based Hybrid

Start the best part of the journey with us!

We’re looking for a Head of Category Management – Franchise to lead commercial strategy across our UK & Ireland business. This is a high-impact role where you’ll shape pricing, category planning, and promotional initiatives that make a real difference to our brands and customers.

You’ll partner with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to turn insights into action, spot opportunities, and create initiatives that drive growth and strengthen our franchise network. If you’re curious, strategic, and results-focused, this is your chance to make an impact.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead pricing strategy and category planning across Bars, Coffee & Bakery, and Retail
• Identify opportunities to enhance commercial performance and growth
• Oversee promotions, discounts, and commercial trials, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable impact
• Collaborate with Marketing, Operations, and Finance to align plans with business priorities
• Build and maintain analytical tools and frameworks to support data-driven decision-making
• Lead and inspire a small team of analysts, developing talent and capability
• Present insights and recommendations to senior leadership to shape business strategy

What we’re looking for:

• Strong commercial experience in retail, franchise, or consumer-facing businesses
• Analytical and strategic thinker with a track record of turning insight into action
• Confident communicator who can make complex ideas simple
• Collaborative leader with experience managing and developing teams
• Innovative, bold, and comfortable challenging the status quo
• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

Why to join us:

• Employee Discounts across our brands (over 400 locations)
• Friends and Family Discount App
• Award-winning training, apprenticeships, and development programs
• Health & Wellbeing Support
• Hybrid working model with flexibility to support work-life balance
• Inclusive and diverse workplace with employee networks and communities

Ready to start the best part of your journey?
Bring your commercial expertise, curiosity, and drive — and help us grow our brands, our business, and your career.

At SSP, we value diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects a variety of skills, talents, and backgrounds.

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