Average Category Manager salary in the UK

Alfen is thrilled to be working exclusively with our client, a global leader in IoT and eCommerce innovation, to recruit a Category Manager. This role is a pivotal opportunity to shape and execute product strategies for cutting-edge consumer technology in a highly dynamic market. The Role: Category Manager Reporting directly to the Vice President of Product Management, the Category Manager will drive the product lifecycle from inception to market success. You'll be instrumental in creating a long-term roadmap for global product categories, ensuring exceptional business outcomes and consumer satisfaction. Key Responsibilities: Lead global product innovation strategies across new and existing categories.Develop a cross-channel product mix plan aligned with market trends and business objectives.Conduct in-depth business performance analyses, including revenue, volume, product margin, and competitive category gaps.Collaborate with engineering teams to deliver category-defining products that balance functionality and cost goals.Build and execute product positioning strategies, oversee product transitions, and manage inventory for launches.Engage cross-functional marketing, sales, and trade teams to drive effective category growth.Foster relationships with third-party product development partners, ensuring top-tier collaborations. What You Bring: A bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related discipline.4+ years of experience in product development or marketing, ideally within the durable goods or consumer packaged goods industry.Proven expertise in delivering successful product launches and maintaining a strong consumer focus.Excellent analytical, financial, and negotiation skills paired with impeccable presentation and communication abilities.Strong grasp of marketing methods and processes, combined with an innovative mindset and strategic thinking.Ability to manage multiple projects while building robust relationships across diverse stakeholders. Why This Role Matters: As Category Manager, you’ll shape the future of innovative consumer technology. Working with a team committed to excellence, you'll influence category performance and ensure the successful launch of products that resonate with consumers and retailers worldwide. The Opportunity: Join a high-growth, technology-driven company where your expertise in category management will be at the heart of delivering business success and driving global innovation in eCommerce and beyond. If you're ready to make a lasting impact, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now to join an industry-leading team shaping the future of consumer technology.

Your New Salary: £193 p/day PAYE or £280p/day Umbrella (inside IR35)* equivalent of £50K pa Location: Central London Duration: Short term temporary assignment until 11/04/2025 (potential extension) Working hours: 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, fully remote or hybrid Who You'll Be Working for: World class luxury fashion brand. Category Manager - T&E Procurement - What You'll be Doing: Supporting procurement categories for colleague-facing services owned and managed by Procurement, including travel (taxis, air travel, hotels) and expenses. Category Manager - T&E Procurement - Responsibilities: Creating sustainable value in upstream and downstream activities across all spend categories, through category strategies and plans, sourcing and the creation of excellent contracts, some global, regional and some single-market.Ongoing Category Management. Ensure that Supplier contracts are being delivered in line with the agreed contract, to the level of performance and quality, or that non-compliance or risk of non-compliance is escalated at the earliest moment to key teams.Research new suppliers, challenge the incumbent suppliers for innovation and monitor existing relationships.Develop category strategies and plans and effective communication across the business.Follow market trends to enable insight through market research, benchmarking, supplier knowledge and networking.Liaise closely with Business Partners and Finance to deliver the services at the best commercial value and improve processes, specifications and commercial relationships.Work with the wider company's Business Services Procurement function to ensure that value is driven from all commercial contracts setting targets for improvements.Understand overall acquisition costs and develop appropriate cost models for decision making and performance reporting.Ensure CSR compliance through the supply chain.Drive supplier competition, development and rationalisation as appropriate.Develop supplier and supply market expertise to inform category strategies.Work with internal customers to ensure category projects are delivered on time and within budget.Provide support to Finance teams with managing their Opex budgets.Ensure the management of this category fits within the wider procurement agenda and ensure this aligns with internal stakeholder requirements & goals Project delivery.Negotiate with suppliers to deliver significant measurable and sustainable annual savings in both budgets and cost avoidance.Be responsible for the creation of RFI/RFPs through to conclusion in line with the relevant Policies Lead and develop breakthrough business projects in category using advanced category management/strategic sourcing tools.Ensure that the supply and suppliers are suitable for commercial use through a validation process.Ensure that new vendors are reviewed from a financial stability and approved for SAP on a timely basis.Deliver specific projects as required Improvement delivery.Drive the identification of supplier performance improvements and close liaison with stakeholder groups to implement.Continually review savings opportunities and areas for efficiencies Build strong relationships - internal and external. Category Manager - T&E Procurement - The Skills You'll Need to Succeed: Experience in relevant Category Relevant within Luxury Retail is desirableAbility to demonstrate category knowledge and speak with subject matter experts internally and externallyGood knowledge of procurement concepts, processes and techniques including commercial contracts negotiation skills and relationship managementExperience implementing sourcing methodologies for category managementStrong negotiation skills to achieve best TCOStrong Travel Procurement experience including contract negotiationsDemonstrated leadership talent with ability to motivate all levels of stakeholdersProficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPointWell-developed stakeholder management skillsExcellent interpersonal skills with an ability to inspire trust and confidenceSuperior ability to communicate both orally and in writingAbility to make decisions and solve problems while working under pressureAbility to develop strategic project and category plans *Please note this Umbrella rate is the amount payable to the Umbrella company - this does not represent what you will actually receive from the Umbrella company. To view all our Supply Chain jobs please go to www.people-first.co.uk Please follow us on Linkedin: people-first-supply-chain We would be grateful if you could send your CV as a Word document. If your application is successful, you will be contacted within 7 days. We regret that due to the high volume of applications we receive we cannot provide feedback on individual CVs. Please note that we can only consider candidates who are eligible to work in the UK and are able to provide relevant supporting documentation. People First is committed to increasing diversity, and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability. People First (Recruitment) Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent and fixed term contract recruitment and as an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. Please note that by applying for this job you accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy which can be found on our website.

Your New Salary: £193 p/day PAYE or £280p/day Umbrella (inside IR35)* equivalent of £50K pa Location: Leeds Duration: Short term temporary assignment until 11/04/2025 (potential extension) Working hours: 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, fully remote or hybrid Who You'll Be Working for: World class luxury fashion brand. Category Manager - T&E Procurement - What You'll be Doing: Supporting procurement categories for colleague-facing services owned and managed by Procurement, including travel (taxis, air travel, hotels) and expenses. Category Manager - T&E Procurement - Responsibilities: Creating sustainable value in upstream and downstream activities across all spend categories, through category strategies and plans, sourcing and the creation of excellent contracts, some global, regional and some single-market.Ongoing Category Management. Ensure that Supplier contracts are being delivered in line with the agreed contract, to the level of performance and quality, or that non-compliance or risk of non-compliance is escalated at the earliest moment to key teams.Research new suppliers, challenge the incumbent suppliers for innovation and monitor existing relationships.Develop category strategies and plans and effective communication across the business.Follow market trends to enable insight through market research, benchmarking, supplier knowledge and networking.Liaise closely with Business Partners and Finance to deliver the services at the best commercial value and improve processes, specifications and commercial relationships.Work with the wider company's Business Services Procurement function to ensure that value is driven from all commercial contracts setting targets for improvements.Understand overall acquisition costs and develop appropriate cost models for decision making and performance reporting.Ensure CSR compliance through the supply chain.Drive supplier competition, development and rationalisation as appropriate.Develop supplier and supply market expertise to inform category strategies.Work with internal customers to ensure category projects are delivered on time and within budget.Provide support to Finance teams with managing their Opex budgets.Ensure the management of this category fits within the wider procurement agenda and ensure this aligns with internal stakeholder requirements & goals Project delivery.Negotiate with suppliers to deliver significant measurable and sustainable annual savings in both budgets and cost avoidance.Be responsible for the creation of RFI/RFPs through to conclusion in line with the relevant Policies Lead and develop breakthrough business projects in category using advanced category management/strategic sourcing tools.Ensure that the supply and suppliers are suitable for commercial use through a validation process.Ensure that new vendors are reviewed from a financial stability and approved for SAP on a timely basis.Deliver specific projects as required Improvement delivery.Drive the identification of supplier performance improvements and close liaison with stakeholder groups to implement.Continually review savings opportunities and areas for efficiencies Build strong relationships - internal and external. Category Manager - T&E Procurement - The Skills You'll Need to Succeed: Experience in relevant Category Relevant within Luxury Retail is desirableAbility to demonstrate category knowledge and speak with subject matter experts internally and externallyGood knowledge of procurement concepts, processes and techniques including commercial contracts negotiation skills and relationship managementExperience implementing sourcing methodologies for category managementStrong negotiation skills to achieve best TCOStrong Travel Procurement experience including contract negotiationsDemonstrated leadership talent with ability to motivate all levels of stakeholdersProficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPointWell-developed stakeholder management skillsExcellent interpersonal skills with an ability to inspire trust and confidenceSuperior ability to communicate both orally and in writingAbility to make decisions and solve problems while working under pressureAbility to develop strategic project and category plans *Please note this Umbrella rate is the amount payable to the Umbrella company - this does not represent what you will actually receive from the Umbrella company. To view all our Supply Chain jobs please go to www.people-first.co.uk Please follow us on Linkedin: people-first-supply-chain We would be grateful if you could send your CV as a Word document. If your application is successful, you will be contacted within 7 days. We regret that due to the high volume of applications we receive we cannot provide feedback on individual CVs. Please note that we can only consider candidates who are eligible to work in the UK and are able to provide relevant supporting documentation. People First is committed to increasing diversity, and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability. People First (Recruitment) Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent and fixed term contract recruitment and as an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. Please note that by applying for this job you accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy which can be found on our website.