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- Tasks: Lead the Christmas category, from product sourcing to trading performance analysis.
- Company: Join Blue Diamond, the UK's largest garden centre group with a focus on quality and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy autonomy, exposure to leadership, and a dynamic growth-focused environment.
- Why this job: Shape seasonal retail strategies and make a real impact on customer experience.
- Qualifications: Experience in retail category management and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive culture that values talent and long-term career growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Enfield (3 days per week) with 2 days per week based at a local centre
Reporting to: Head of Department
Are you a commercially driven Category Manager with a passion for seasonal retail and delivering profitable, high-impact ranges? We are looking for a Category Manager – Christmas to take end-to-end ownership of our Christmas Lighting, Trees, Indoor Animation, Wreaths and Garlands categories. This is a newly created role, driven by continued business growth and an increased focus on commerciality, sell-through and profit delivery. You will play a key role in shaping a category that delivers strong performance, a clear point of difference, and consistent execution across 52 stores.
Why Join Us?
Blue Diamond is the leading name in Garden Centre retail, celebrated for our commitment to quality, style, and exceptional customer experience. We believe in nurturing talent, providing growth opportunities, and celebrating our team's successes. Blue Diamond is the UK’s largest Garden Centre Group in terms of turnover, having grown from £187 million in 2019 to over £400 million in 2025. With 52 centres across the UK and Channel Islands, we are constantly evolving and expanding — and we want YOU to grow with us.
Our target demographic is AB1 customers, and we attract this calibre of customer through inspirational retailing with a clear point of difference — style, emotion and innovation — alongside exceptional customer service. Our Managing Director, Alan Roper, has led the Group since 1999, and we are proud of our strong staff retention, empowered culture, and focus on long-term careers.
The Role:
- As Category Manager – Christmas, you will have full ownership of a high-value, highly visible seasonal category, from initial range development through to in-season trading and post-season analysis.
- End-to-end category ownership from sourcing (domestic and FOB) through to in-season trading.
- Cost price negotiation, EPOS cost landing and retail price setting.
- Curating commercially strong, customer-led ranges in collaboration with the Head of Department and Category Committee.
- Building clear, shopable ranges with improved SKU efficiency.
- Creating store best practice alongside Visual Merchandising and Store Support teams.
- Monitoring sell-through, rate of sale and weekly trading performance throughout the season.
- Leading detailed end-of-season, SKU-level reviews analysing sell-through, sales, margin and profit to inform future range decisions.
Commercial Accountability:
- Ownership of the category budget.
- Forecasting and intake planning in partnership with the Head of Department.
- Weekly trading ownership, identifying risks and opportunities in season.
- Delivering against profit, margin and sell-through targets (target 80% sell-through).
- Driving profit growth through improved rate of sale, margin optimisation and supplier strategy.
- Reducing residual stock through clearer ranging and proactive in-season decision-making.
- Direct supplier management and commercial negotiation.
- FOB sourcing as a core part of the role, alongside domestic supply.
- Building strong supplier partnerships to improve margin, availability and differentiation.
- Developing ranges with a clear focus on customer need, innovation and commercial performance.
About You
We are looking for someone who is:
- An experienced Category Manager within retail.
- Commercially minded, with proven ownership of sales, margin and stock KPIs.
- Highly confident using Excel and data to drive decisions.
- Comfortable presenting trading performance to senior stakeholders.
- Able to work at pace and manage ambiguity.
- Ownership-led, with an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Experience in multi-site retail.
- Background in seasonal or fast-paced trading environments.
What We Offer:
- A high level of autonomy and influence.
- Exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making.
- A dynamic, growth-focused environment that values commercial thinking and accountability.
Category Manager &nda in London employer: Blue Diamond
Contact Detail:
Blue Diamond Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Manager &nda in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the retail industry, especially those who have experience with seasonal categories. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion for Christmas! When you get the chance to meet potential employers, share your ideas on how to enhance their Christmas ranges. This will demonstrate your enthusiasm and creativity, making you stand out.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into the company’s current offerings. Know their products inside out, especially in the lighting and decorative categories. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to their success.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Blue Diamond.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Manager &nda in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Christmas: When you're writing your application, let your love for the festive season shine through! Talk about your experience with seasonal retail and how you can bring that passion to our Christmas categories.
Be Data-Driven: Since we’re all about commerciality, make sure to highlight your experience with data analysis. Share examples of how you've used Excel or other tools to drive decisions and improve sales performance in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV: Don’t just send a generic CV! Tailor it to reflect the skills and experiences that match the Category Manager role. Focus on your achievements in managing categories, negotiating with suppliers, and driving profit growth.
Apply Through Our Website: We want to hear from you directly! Make sure to apply through our website to ensure your application gets to the right place. It’s the best way to show us you’re serious about joining the Blue Diamond team.
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Diamond
✨Know Your Categories
Before the interview, dive deep into the Christmas categories you'll be managing. Understand the latest trends in lighting, trees, and decorations. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your passion for seasonal retail and show that you're ready to take ownership of these categories.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
Be prepared to discuss how you've driven sales and margin in previous roles. Bring specific examples of how you've managed budgets, negotiated with suppliers, or optimised product ranges. This will highlight your commercial mindset and ability to deliver results.
✨Excel at Excel
Since the role requires strong Excel skills, brush up on your data analysis capabilities. Be ready to discuss how you've used Excel to track performance metrics or forecast sales. If possible, prepare a few examples of how data-driven decisions have positively impacted your previous categories.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you would present trading performance to senior stakeholders. Prepare to discuss your communication style and how you build relationships with teams and suppliers. This will show that you can effectively collaborate and influence others in a multi-site retail environment.