Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and optimise the Lightside categories, driving sales and margin growth.
- Company: Elliotts, a well-established independent company with a strong regional reputation.
- Benefits: High level of autonomy, direct impact on performance, and opportunities for growth.
- Other info: Regular engagement across branches and suppliers, with occasional travel.
- Why this job: Shape and grow a category while influencing key stakeholders in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Strong commercial/category management experience and proven sales growth.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
The Opportunity
Elliotts is hiring a Commercial Manager to lead its Lightside categories: everything within the shop area of its branches: tools, consumables, fixings etc. This is a shift from a traditional buying role to full commercial ownership.
- Own your category end-to-end
- Develop and execute a clear growth strategy
- Optimise range, pricing, and supplier performance
- Drive sales and margin through better decisions
- Influence branches, sales teams, and suppliers
There is clear untapped potential in this category, requiring strong ownership to realise it.
The Environment
- Long established, independent and growing
- Strong regional reputation
- Established supplier base with optimisation opportunities
- Collaborative, commercially focused leadership team
- Clear ambition to improve category performance
The Role
- Take full responsibility for category performance
- Deliver a clear commercial plan
- Improve customer proposition (range, price, availability)
- Drive measurable sales and margin growth
- Lead decisions and implement change
The Person
- Have strong commercial/category management experience in similar products and environments
- Be a Commercial or Category Manager (or similar)
- Demonstrate proven sales and margin growth
- Be confident influencing stakeholders
- Have a proactive, results-driven mindset
Why Elliotts
- High level of autonomy and ownership
- Direct impact on business performance
- Opportunity to shape and grow a category
Location
Hampshire – with visibility across the business and regular stakeholder engagement. Regular presence in Southampton HQ and across the branch network required, with occasional travel further afield to visit suppliers and for events etc.
Interested? For a confidential discussion, please: Send your CV to All conversations handled with complete discretion.
Commercial Manager employer: Elliotts Builders Merchant
Contact Detail:
Elliotts Builders Merchant Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the hunt for a Commercial Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its competitors. Understand their products, pricing strategies, and market position. This will help you demonstrate your knowledge and show how you can drive sales and margin growth.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the role's requirements. Highlight your past successes in category management and how you've influenced stakeholders to achieve results.
✨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 Elliotts and taking ownership of the category.
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Commercial Manager role. Highlight your experience in category management and any proven sales growth you've achieved. We want to see how you can own a category end-to-end!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role at Elliotts. Share your vision for driving sales and margin growth, and how you plan to influence stakeholders effectively.
Showcase Your Results-Driven Mindset: In both your CV and cover letter, emphasise your proactive approach and results-driven mindset. We love candidates who can demonstrate their impact on business performance through clear examples of past successes.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Elliotts Builders Merchant
✨Know Your Categories Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the Lightside categories you'll be managing. Understand the products, market trends, and customer preferences. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your expertise and show that you're ready to take ownership of the category.
✨Prepare a Growth Strategy
Think about how you would develop and execute a growth strategy for the categories. Be ready to discuss specific ideas on optimising range, pricing, and supplier performance. This will showcase your proactive mindset and ability to drive sales and margin growth.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Influence
Since influencing branches, sales teams, and suppliers is key, prepare examples of how you've successfully engaged stakeholders in the past. Highlight your communication skills and how you've driven change through collaboration.
✨Demonstrate Results-Driven Mindset
Be ready to share concrete examples of how you've achieved sales and margin growth in previous roles. Use metrics and data to back up your claims, as this will illustrate your results-driven approach and align with Elliotts' ambition to improve category performance.