Category Lead

Quest Search & Selection are looking for a commercially focused Head of Category to join an established retail business. This is a hands-on leadership role with responsibility for category strategy, product development, range planning, stock, margin and supplier performance. Key Responsibilities of this Category Lead role -

Lead the category strategy and budget, delivering against sales, margin, cash and stock targets Own the product proposition and ensure ranges are commercially relevant and aligned to the customer Lead the sourcing, selection and development of product ranges Manage critical paths and ensure ranges launch on time Lead and develop the team, building capability, accountability and commercial focus Build strong relationships with suppliers and external partners Manage third-party warehouse and logistics relationships, including cost and service performance Travel to stores, suppliers and trade shows to research trends and source products Ensure products meet relevant certification and legislative requirements To be successful in this Category Lead role - Strong experience within buying, category management or product development Commercially strong and confident working with sales, margin, stock and KPI data Experience developing and selecting product ranges Strong supplier management and negotiation skills Proven experience leading and developing a team Able to take ownership and become the go-to person for the category Confident challenging existing thinking and identifying new opportunities Able to make effective commercial decisions quickly Experience within home, lifestyle, garden, seasonal, furniture would be particularly relevant Benefits of this Category Lead role - Car Allowance Annual performance-related bonus Pension Healthcare Hybrid working, typically 1–2 days per week in the office Regular supplier, store and trade-show exposure

If you are an experienced Head of Category, Category Manager, Senior Buyer or Buying Manager looking for a broader leadership role, please apply today!