Category Manager (m/f/d)

About The Role

The Category Manager role is a key position within the EMEA Product & Supplier Management organization, responsible for developing the category strategy and collaborating with group, regional, and local stakeholders to execute growth plans. The goal is to deliver targeted profitable growth, customer acquisition, and ROI.

For the technology and suppliers they are aligned with, the Category Manager will be crucial in providing a best-in-class product offering for customers by defining market-leading brands, latest products, and innovative technologies that drive growth across EMEA. They will also manage the supplier and product portfolio throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Managing a portfolio of key and strategic suppliers, they are accountable for supplier management and performance, negotiating contracts and terms, and building collaborative relationships internally and externally to support growth.

We Are Looking For The Following Category Specialisms

• Mechanical & Fluid Power
• Automation & Control
• Personal Protective Equipment (EPI) & Site Safety

The Jobholder Is Responsible For The Following Processes

• Category/technology strategy planning, governance, and execution
• Development & execution of supplier business plans to realize the category strategy
• Utilizing digital data and insights to inform decisions, identify opportunities, and enhance portfolio & supplier performance
• Supplier management and relationship building to support growth
• Negotiations to maximize profit
• Cost management and price maintenance
• NPI and portfolio development to expand range and drive growth
• Effective communication and collaboration with group stakeholders

Key Responsibilities

• Developing a best-in-class category offer aligned with customer needs and strategy
• Introducing new brands to support supplier acquisition at various levels
• Managing product lifecycle, including NPI, discontinuations, and revenue protection
• Supporting NPI with supplier data and product content acquisition
• Negotiating to add commercial value
• Building strong relationships with suppliers and internal teams
• Collaborating with the private label team (RS Pro) for optimized range
• Influencing customer satisfaction scores (NES and NPS)

Delivery Of KPIs

• Revenue & margin
• Supplier and technology growth
• Return on Investment
• Customer acquisition & count
• Number of products sold
• New product introduction volume & revenue
• Digital performance
• Supplier performance targets
• Inventory health (OA%, OTTP%, stock turn)

Your Profile

• Experience as a Category Manager/Buyer
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail
• Experience with online trading and digital tools
• Experience working with global supplier brands
• Collaborative team player
• Experience in a matrix and cross-cultural environment
• Commercial experience
• Commercial acumen and communication skills
• Fluent in English and local language (German/French/Italian)
• Strong negotiation skills
• Positive, ownership-driven, results-oriented attitude
• Influencing skills
• Operational problem-solving and process management skills

Our Benefits (for Germany)

• Shopping card
• Job Ticket
• Bike Leasing
• 30 days paid holidays
• Savings plans
• Pension scheme

We are RS

RS Group is a global omni-channel provider of products and services for industrial equipment and operations. We aim to offer an unrivalled product choice to help customers solve problems with innovative solutions.

With over 80 years of experience, we turn "what ifs" into "why nots" and make the impossible possible.

Our purpose? Making amazing happen for a better world.

We deliver services and products globally, with over 700,000 in-stock and 3 million unstocked products, serving more than 1.2 million customers across 130+ countries.

We value curiosity, innovation, and empathy, partnering with customers, suppliers, colleagues, and communities to solve problems. We invest in your development and wellbeing, fostering a diverse, inclusive, and responsible culture aligned with our ESG commitments.

Join us to think big, do more, and unleash your brilliance to achieve amazing things.