Category Controller

Bestway Retail; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Job Description

We are looking for a Category Controller to lead the Trading team and is responsible for the customer offer spanning all of our catering customer types to achieve sales, margin, cash profit, stock holding and availability targets for the customer base.

About the role:

Establish Bestway as a Centre of Excellence for Catering, measured by continued growth in sales and margin and the delivery of measurable benefits to customers and budgeted Bestway KPI targets.

Working with the Group Trading Director and other colleagues, develop and implement the commercial strategy for Catering through effective product portfolio management and price architecture, to meet sales and margins targets.

Your main responsibilities:

• Create and manage the strategy for assortment choice, price, promotion, stock holding and availability.
• Identify areas of opportunity on a continuous basis, to evolve our consumer and customer offer, ensuring a high standard of service level and product availability at competitive pricing.
• Direct the management of the relevant supplier relationships to ensure high service levels and the optimisation of Bestway profits by negotiating the best Trading Terms and Conditions.
• Work closely with the Marketing Department to define ‘operational excellence’ for Bestway in the eyes of its customers.
• Ensure that category performance is monitored regularly and appropriate steps are taken to optimise performance to deliver our budgeted KPI’s.
• Ensure that relevant commercial activities (promotions, NPD launch, overstocks) are managed with careful planning to optimise sales and profit.
• Source and introduce new products and services to optimise performance in our retail brands.
• Ensure the SKU count is suitably balanced between range needs and efficiencies.
• Utilise Bulk, Export and alternative opportunities to meet targets.
• Work with the relevant colleagues to develop and grow our brand label share across the business with higher than branded alternative margins/cash profit.
• Build the Own Label profile within the business with all relevant stakeholders to ensure Own Label is taking pride of place in Bestway.
• Work closely with Trading colleagues across the Bestway group to ensure a united approach to Suppliers and teamwork to obtain the best commercial investment and non-commercial Support for Bestway.
• Ensure product file data accuracy is maintained on a “right first time” efficient basis.

About You:

• Significant experience in FMCG Wholesale or Retail sector (Category Management).
• Strategic thinker- ability to create a long-term vision for the business to influence change.
• Ability to develop and implement strategies to grow the business - developing strong cross-functional relationships.
• Commercial edge, with business acumen and ability to quickly grasp the key business drives.
• Clear and effective communicator - externally and internally, written and verbal.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
• Champion of change - influencing and persuading key stakeholders to promote and instigate new working practices to drive the business forward.
• Ability to identify areas of change, recommend future actions and manage implementation.
• A positive, can-do approach - wanting to test things and seek continual improvement.
• Professionalism, integrity and Confidentiality.
• The authority and flexibility in coordinating and influencing activities across a complex organisation with diverse agendas.
• Proactive and always strives to take this area to the next level for competitive advantage and future contribution to the overall business.

What next?

If you are looking to launch, or grow, an exciting career in a company that values progression and development! Choose “Apply now” to fill out our short application and submit your CV.