<p>The <strong>Head of Category</strong> will play a crucial role in this journey by maximizing sales, profit, utilization, and market share for a specific group of products or categories. This role also involves the strategic development of the area to drive future competitive advantage and growth.</p><p>The <strong>Head of Category</strong> will become the expert and thought leader for their category, collaborating closely with key stakeholders to define and achieve customer excellence.</p><h3>Key Responsibilities</h3><ul><li><strong>Customer Focus</strong>: Ensure customer-centric decision-making, working closely with marketing, customer, digital, and field teams.</li><li><strong>Strategic Insight</strong>: Develop a deep understanding of each sub-product group in terms of market size, share, trends, competitor offerings, and supply dynamics.</li><li><strong>Category Planning</strong>: Create a strategic category plan to capitalize on opportunities that will boost sales, profit, and market share.</li><li><strong>Networking</strong>: Establish and maintain internal and external networks to gather comprehensive feedback for category plans.</li><li><strong>Innovation</strong>: Identify and effectively bring new products and services to market.</li><li><strong>Performance Monitoring</strong>: Oversee and manage the ongoing trading performance of the categories.</li><li><strong>Digital Optimization</strong>: Understand and navigate key digital metrics across multiple websites, working with the Digital team to optimize profitability.</li><li><strong>Risk Management</strong>: Update the business on any risks to targets and present comprehensive recovery plans.</li><li><strong>Business Insight</strong>: Develop an in-depth understanding of all business levers to facilitate quick and effective decision-making for optimizing trading performance.</li><li><strong>Promotional Strategy</strong>: Design and implement compelling promotional and pricing plans in collaboration with the commercial planning team and channel owners.</li><li><strong>Competitive Benchmarking</strong>: Regularly benchmark prices to optimize price elasticity.</li><li><strong>Capacity Management</strong>: Ensure plans drive customer numbers that match capacity, understanding the relationship between capacity and demand to maximize utilization.</li><li><strong>Process Improvement</strong>: Identify and address opportunities within the end-to-end process across all categories through activity, development, training, or communication.</li><li><strong>Supplier Management</strong>: Define supplier selection policy, rationalize supplier base to secure additional value, and drive compliance within the network.</li><li><strong>Trading Agreements</strong>: Implement supplier trading agreements, ensuring adherence to procurement policies such as ESG, CSR, and Ethical Trading.</li><li><strong>Cost Efficiency</strong>: Conduct regular price benchmarking or tenders to secure the best cost prices for the business.</li></ul><h3>Key Skills/Experience</h3><p>The <strong>Head of Category</strong> should possess the following skills and experience:</p><ul><li><strong>Customer-Centric</strong>: Natural ability to connect with and deliver for customers.</li><li><strong>Commercial Acumen</strong>: High analytical and financial robustness, with a keen eye for cash flow and working capital management.</li><li><strong>Data Insight</strong>: Ability to interpret, challenge, and build actionable insights from complex data sets.</li><li><strong>Dynamic Leadership</strong>: Results-driven with high energy and commitment to business objectives.</li><li><strong>Entrepreneurial Spirit</strong>: Hands-on approach, responsive to fast-moving market conditions, with a willingness to fail fast and learn quickly.</li><li><strong>Positive Attitude</strong>: Can-do spirit with the ability to make things happen.</li><li><strong>Category Management Experience</strong>: Prior experience in category management.</li><li><strong>Multi-Channel Thinking</strong>: Experience with cross-channel and multi-channel strategies.</li><li><strong>Execution Excellence</strong>: Strong planning and execution skills.</li><li><strong>Pragmatic Approach</strong>: Grounded ability to drive delivery.</li><li><strong>Team Leadership</strong>: Ability to manage direct reports and inspire colleagues.</li><li><strong>Stakeholder Management</strong>: High collaboration and cross-functional expertise, effective interaction, and influence with the Leadership Team and Executive.</li><li><strong>Effective Communication</strong>: Outstanding presentation skills, articulate and persuasive, able to build strong relationships at all levels.</li></ul><p>The <strong>Head of Category</strong> will be instrumental in driving the company's success and ensuring that the category's performance aligns with the overall business objectives.</p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Zachary Daniels is a Niche, National &amp; International Recruitment Consultancy. </p><p style="font-weight: 400;">Specialising in Buying, Merchandising &amp; Ecommerce | Design, Technical, Wholesale &amp; Production | Finance | HR &amp; Talent | H&amp;S &amp; Compliance | Marketing, Digital &amp; Technology | Property &amp; Centre Management | Retail, Trade, Leisure &amp; Wholesale Operations | Senior Appointments &amp; Exec | Sales | Supply Chain &amp; Logistics</p><p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>BBBH31287</strong></p>