Hybrid Category Buyer: Strategy, Sourcing & Partnerships

Halfords; Redditch; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Annual discretionary bonus

Pension

Life assurance

25 days annual leave + bank holidays +

Enhanced family leave

Hybrid working

Job summary

Halfords is seeking a Category Buyer to own a key business area, steering sourcing and procurement to support category strategy and profitability. You will work with the Head of Category to shape a robust product range, pricing frameworks, and KPI achievement across UK partners, brands, and global suppliers.

The successful candidate will drive supplier relationships, negotiate effectively, and lead cost-of-goods improvements, with a focus on net profitability and strong supplier partnerships in

Qualifications

• A highly motivated retail professional with strong multi-channel Buying or Category Management experience.
• A confident, results-driven negotiator with a proven track record of delivering procurement benefits and managing strategic supplier relationships.
• A customer-focused, data-driven thinker who uses insight and analytics to enhance range propositions and improve purchasing performance.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage strong, long-term relationships with key suppliers to drive collaboration, competitive advantage, and industry-leading ways of working.
• Deliver ongoing sourcing benefits through effective negotiation, securing promotional support, and achieving net profitability targets that fuel category performance.
• Identify and introduce new suppliers, explore alternative markets, and develop buying alliances that enhance the Halfords proposition.
• Regularly assess category performance, monitor KPIs, and apply data-driven insights to make informed decisions that boost results.
• Develop and deliver category-specific ESG initiatives, highlighting key opportunities and challenges while supporting broader organisational goals.
• Work collaboratively with teams such as eCommerce, Marketing, and Supply Chain to execute category priorities and ensure seamless delivery.
• Provide coaching and guidance to Assistant Buyers, equipping them with the support and resources needed to execute sourcing plans effectively.
• Drive cost-of-goods improvements through market analysis, tendering, supplier challenge, and the effective use of profitability models to secure the best commercial outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Category Manager and Own Brand Manager to build a world-class own brand proposition, delivering ambitious targets while ensuring product quality, value, and brand principles are consistently upheld.

Skills

Category Management

Negotiation

Supplier relationships

Global sourcing

Data analytics

Tools

SAP Ariba

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Halfords is seeking a Category Buyer to own a key business area, steering sourcing and procurement to support category strategy and profitability. You will work with the Head of Category to shape a robust product range, pricing frameworks, and KPI achievement across UK partners, brands, and global suppliers.

The successful candidate will drive supplier relationships, negotiate effectively, and lead cost-of-goods improvements, with a focus on net profitability and strong supplier partnerships in