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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Support the Category Buyer in creating product ranges that keep customers moving.
- Company: Join Halfords, a leading retail and services business with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, employee discounts, and personal development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a meaningful impact in a dynamic team while shaping standout product ranges.
- Qualifications: Experience in a similar role, strong analytical skills, and a collaborative mindset.
- Other info: Inclusive workplace with a commitment to wellbeing and diversity.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
About Us
We’re evolving our Commercial team into a dynamic Category Management model that’s fully aligned with our Retail strategy. This transformation creates a future‑ready function that blends strategic insight, customer focus, and stronger cross‑functional collaboration. Our approach empowers teams, sparks innovation, and drives data‑led decisions that deliver sustainable growth. To bring this vision to life, we’re investing in our people – expanding capacity and nurturing talent across our Category teams. It’s an exciting time to join Halfords, where you’ll discover exceptional development opportunities and have the chance to make an immediate, meaningful impact. If you’re ready to help lead the way in an ever‑evolving retail landscape, we’d love to hear from you.
About The Role
Join us as a key partner to the Category Buyer and help create product ranges that keep our customers moving – delivering the right products, at the right price, at exactly the right time. In this fast‑paced role, you’ll work across the business to make every range a success: using customer insight to shape smarter planning, teaming up with Commercial to secure unbeatable value, and partnering with Supply to keep stock turning smoothly. You’ll also collaborate closely with Store Operations, Digital, and ESG to ensure every product lands brilliantly across all our channels. If you’re curious, commercially minded, and excited by the idea of shaping standout ranges in a market‑leading retail and services business, Halfords is the place to make your mark.
Key Responsibilities
- Champion growth by supporting plans that deliver our market‑leading share targets.
- Power a best‑in‑class range review programme, ensuring every product decision is insight‑led and commercially strong.
- Lead positive change by supporting Halfords’ ESG ambitions, helping manage supplier and product improvements that make a real impact.
- Own accurate reporting, maintaining sales, price and promotional files that keep the business moving at pace.
- Boost profitability by backing the delivery of negotiated margin, cost prices, rebates and product mix.
- Stay ahead of the market with deep customer understanding and competitor awareness, helping shape ranges that give Halfords a long‑term competitive edge.
- Collaborate across the business, from Supply to Digital to Store Operations, building strong supplier relationships and using data to drive smarter decisions and standout promotional activity.
- Drive Halfords’ sales and margin success by supporting the annual budget process and ensuring we hit key financial targets.
About You
You bring experience from an Assistant Category Buyer role or a similar transferable commercial position, ideally within a fast‑paced retail environment. You’re analytical and numerically minded, confident working with data to support decisions. You thrive in a fast‑paced environment, staying focused and proactive when things get busy. You have strong commercial awareness, keeping a close eye on competitor activity and understanding what customers need. You’re a collaborative team player with a positive, ‘can‑do’ approach, always ready to support colleagues and move projects forward. You communicate and influence effectively, building and maintaining strong relationships across functions and with external partners.
Reward & Benefits
A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, annual discretionary bonus scheme, pension, life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave. Commitment and dedication to your ongoing personal and professional development. We help you to own and grow your potential so you can be at your best in your current role and to support your future career aspirations. We offer hybrid working in our Support Centre, you will be based at our Support Centre 3 days a week with an optional 2 days working from home. You will have access to a wealth of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services. Wellbeing and inclusion are at the heart of our colleague experience. We offer resources and ongoing support to enhance your wellbeing at work and active Colleague Networks supporting inclusion initiatives across Halfords.
Not sure you meet all the criteria? We’d encourage you to take the wheel and apply anyway! At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for our colleagues. We’re an equal opportunities employer and proud to welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family. At Halfords, we operate a hybrid working policy with 3 days on site at our Support Centre in Redditch, Worcestershire.
Assistant Category Buyer employer: Halfords
Contact Detail:
Halfords Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Category Buyer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Halfords on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Halfords’ values and recent news. Show us that you’re not just another candidate but someone who genuinely cares about our mission and is ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your STAR technique for answering competency questions. We want to hear about your past experiences and how they relate to the role of Assistant Category Buyer. Be specific and show us your analytical skills!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows us that you’re genuinely interested in the position. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’d be a perfect fit.
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Category Buyer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Retail: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the retail industry shine through. We want to see that you’re not just looking for any job, but that you’re genuinely excited about the opportunity to help shape product ranges and make a difference at Halfords.
Be Data-Driven: Since this role is all about making insight-led decisions, make sure to highlight your analytical skills. Share examples of how you've used data in previous roles to drive success. We love candidates who can back up their ideas with solid numbers!
Collaborate and Communicate: This position requires strong teamwork and communication skills. In your application, mention experiences where you’ve successfully collaborated with others or influenced decisions. We’re looking for team players who can build relationships across functions.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to the Assistant Category Buyer role. Use keywords from the job description and show us how your experience aligns with what we’re looking for. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance!
How to prepare for a job interview at Halfords
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Assistant Category Buyer, you'll need to be comfortable with data. Brush up on your analytical skills and be ready to discuss how you've used data in past roles to make informed decisions. Bring examples of how you’ve analysed sales trends or customer insights to shape product ranges.
✨Show Your Commercial Awareness
Halfords is looking for someone who understands the retail landscape. Research current market trends, competitor activities, and customer preferences. Be prepared to share your thoughts on what makes a successful product range and how you would approach pricing strategies.
✨Emphasise Collaboration Skills
This role requires working closely with various teams. Think of examples where you've successfully collaborated with others to achieve a common goal. Highlight your ability to build relationships and communicate effectively across functions, as this will be key in driving success at Halfords.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities. Practice responding to hypothetical situations related to stock management, supplier negotiations, or product launches. This will demonstrate your proactive mindset and readiness to tackle challenges in a fast-paced environment.
