Category Manager en Stark

Category Manager  

Do you have a passion for working within Category Manager? Are you in commuting distance of Binley, Coventry area? 

Stark, a leading building materials distributor in Northern Europe, is looking for a new team member who is as passionate about great service as we are. 

We provide a fulfilling and enjoyable work environment with ample opportunities for career growth, along with a competitive salary, staff discount, life assurance, and 34 days of holiday (inclusive of bank holidays). 

What you’ll be doing:  

With the support of the Commercial/ Category Director and/or Senior Category Manager, create and lead the business plan for allocated categories of responsibility to drive strategic & tactical growth of the categories to support the delivery of the budgeted sales and profit target. 

Job Purpose 

Deliver product ranges and terms that meet the requirements of our internal and external customers providing ‘all the products to do the job’ whilst delivering the required company financial targets. 

• Demonstrate successful experience in category management with a track record of delivering ranges that meet customer project needs across multiple product categories whilst delivering budgeted financial results for the company. 

• Proven experience of successful fact-based negotiation and delivery in an end-to-end category management or procurement role. 

• Customer focused with a clear understanding of company targets, customer needs, competitor landscape and market dynamics. The ‘Company Expert’ and ‘Go-To Person’ for allocated categories. 

• Highly IT literate in appropriate Microsoft and database systems 

• Strong commercial acumen, analytical skills, and ability to assimilate information into clear actionable insights and plans and able to communicate these plans to stakeholders for effective implementation and enhanced customer proposition. 

• Ability to work on own or as part of a team and manage workload to tight deadlines and work under pressure managing multiple priorities and tasks. 

• Determined, driven and accountable to take ownership of issues or challenges, continually driving improvement for our branches, customers, and suppliers. 

• First line of contact for suppliers, internal customers, and stakeholders for allocated categories. 

• Good stakeholder management with ability to coordinate and influence decision making at multiple levels and across functions to ensure delivery of business plans. 

• Communicate & present confidently and articulately to board level within the company and suppliers. 

• Effective stakeholder engagement at all levels within the company and with suppliers. Adjusting approach, style, and behaviour as required to build effective, collaborative & successful relationships and teams. 

• Be involved in and contribute to ‘non-core’ commercial activities that support development and delivery improvement across business and strategic improvements that may be areas outside of key category responsibilities.   

• Ability to induct, support and coach newer and/or junior members of the teams with or without direct line management responsibility. 

Key Results Area 

You will: 

• Demonstrate personal responsibility for own and team safety and wellbeing, promoting excellent standards as well as safe and sustainable working practices for you and your team. 

• Own, create, and deliver 2–3-year strategy for responsible category areas that deliver the customer project proposition whilst meeting company commercial sale and profit targets. 

• Be recognised as the first line of contact for allocated categories for all internal and external stakeholders. 

• Negotiate and deliver all supplier trading agreements in line with group goals and initiatives. 

• Continually evidence detailed understanding of category performance and key performance drivers identifying opportunities to improve. Generate reports and analysis to make recommendations on Ranging, Pricing, Sales, Plans and Promotions. 

• Be suitably literate in the Group and UK sustainability agenda and goals and demonstrate an understanding of the impact their allocated categories, both directly and indirectly managed, have on relevant sustainability criteria (scope 3 emissions, packaging, product circularity). 

• Work closely with relevant STARK UK and regional and central functions making recommendations for improvement and supporting branches to make great local decisions. 

• Ensure company policies, procedures and values are always understood and demonstrated in behaviour. 

• Continually build and improve internal and external stakeholder management and relationships. 

• Work alongside STARK Group peers on Group category initiatives. 

What’s in it for you: 

• Discretionary bonus 

• A wide range of voluntary benefits including holiday buying, discounted gym membership, car salary sacrifice scheme, Cycle2Work, Benenden Healthcare and more. 

• Access to a wealth of health and wellbeing services including access to online GP appointments and mental health support  

• Generous employee discounts 

• Access to discounts with hundreds of your favourite high street and online retailers 

• Retirement savings plan  

• Life assurance 

• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave for anyone expecting or adopting a child 

Why STARK?  

We're proud to be part of STARK Building Materials UK and dedicated to providing top-quality products and exceptional service to our customers. We're a friendly and collaborative team, passionate about what we do and committed to doing it well.   

If you're ready to take your career to the next level and join a team that is dedicated to providing great service, we want to hear from you. Apply today!  

What's next…  

If your application is successful, our in-house recruitment team will be in touch to arrange an interview and to answer any initial questions you have.  

Where a role is advertised as full-time, we are open to discussing part-time and job share options during the application process. If you require additional support as part of the application and interview process, we are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to help you to be at your best.