Junior Category Manager - Small Domestic Appliances (SDA) & Floorcare

Full Job Description

Internal use only – Grade F

We are The Very Group  and we’re here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That’s why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on Very.co.uk  to help them say yes to the things they love. We’re just as passionate about helping our people get more out of life too; building careers with real growth, a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing.

We are looking for a motivated Junior Category Manager to join our team, managing the full portfolio performance for two of our key strategic brands within our business assortment. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work with these leading brands and drive their success within our organisation.

As a Junior Category Manager here at The Very Group, you’ll enjoy significant breadth of responsibility for the KPI’s, range development, stock position and trading plans, whilst being able to demonstrate the profitable deployment of marketing activity to the ranges with the support of robust data intelligence. Our roles within the category have dual responsibility for both buying and merchandising so a fantastic opportunity to develop your skillset. You will manage a Category Assistant within the team and be responsible for their growth and development.

• Managing the full product/portfolio lifecycle, leading the full end to end critical path, working with your assistant to ensure timely launch of new product, implementing strategies and collaborating cross functionally to maximise trading performance, as well as managing the End of Lifecycle process – from clearance strategies to new lines. Analysing performance vs. plan to inform future decisions.
• Have end-to-end financial and commercial accountability for the assigned brands, including sales, margin, stock, cash, and supplier contributions/terms. You will be responsible for building and executing the Joint Business Plan (JBP).
• Developing and implementing buying and merchandising strategies to drive sales and profitability of the brands, ensuring range meets the demands of our customer, is aligned to observable market trends and is built upon historic internal insight whilst being ultimately aligned to the divisional framework.
• Be responsible for the management of the portfolio’s promotional & price proposition, driving the most profitable outcome, whilst also delivering headline sales growth expectations.
• Driving continuous improvement in product lifecycle management processes and contribute to the overall business objectives.
• Be fully accountable for the supplier relationship, with the aim of continuously driving business forward, increasing mutual growth, improving commercial terms and ensuring commitments and high standards remain.

·       Experience in account management with a market-leading supplier or project management experience.

·       Significant product lifecycle management experience.

·       Excellent communication and negotiation skills. Experience leading negotiations required.

·       Demonstrable leadership experience and management of a team

·       The ability to work under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.

·       Commercial Acumen

·       Desire to transition into a buying and merchandising role.

Some of our benefits

• Flexible, hybrid working model
• Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews
• £1000 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs
• 30 days holiday + bank holidays
• Udemy learning access
• Bonus potential (performance and business-related)
• Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk

• Matched pension up to 6%
• More benefits can be found on our career site

How to apply

 Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS, Right to Work checks and if a specific requirement of your role a DBS (criminal records) check. Should your application progress we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions.

What happens next?

Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely.

You can expect a two-stage interview process for this position:

1st stage - An informal 30-minute video call with the hiring team to discuss your skills and relevant experience. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the role and to ask any questions you may have.

2nd Stage – A one-hour formal interview where you can expect both competency and technical questions. This can be held either in-person or remotely.

As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.

If you'd like to know more about our interviews, you can find out here .

Equal opportunities

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.