At a Glance
- Tasks: Support category plans and drive performance in a fast-paced retail environment.
- Company: Join Halfords, a leader in motoring and cycling innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid working, and employee discounts.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of inclusion and personal development at Halfords.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team shaping the future of automotive services.
- Qualifications: Experience in commercial or category roles with strong analytical skills.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
At Halfords, our mission is to inspire and support a lifetime of motoring and cycling. As a specialist retailer, we lead the market through customer-driven innovation and a distinct product range. We are dedicated to providing our customers with an integrated, unique, and convenient service experience—from e-bike and electric vehicle servicing to on-demand solutions. Our commitment is to foster customer loyalty by offering compelling reasons to keep coming back to our stores, ensuring a lifetime of motoring and cycling enjoyment.
The teams at our Redditch Support Centre work with every other area of our business, putting them at the heart of the action and playing a key role in our success and growth. Everyone brings their individual knowledge and experience to work every day, working as one team to keep things moving smoothly. If you’re willing to get stuck in, you’ll love it here too. So put yourself at the heart of a dynamic, fast-paced working environment where expertise and focus take people far.
Join Halfords at an exciting time of transformation and growth as we set our sights on Autocentre growth within the next three years. As a key member of our dynamic commercial team, you'll play a crucial role in supporting the delivery of our ambitious strategic plans. Reporting directly to the Category Manager, you’ll work at the heart of a fast-paced and forward-thinking business, helping shape and execute category plans that directly impact our growth and profitability. In this role, you'll become a trusted expert for our nationwide garage network, offering vital support and insight into your product categories. Your ability to combine commercial acumen with a deep understanding of market trends will drive smarter decision-making and performance improvement. If you're passionate about automotive innovation, thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to be part of a business on the rise, we’d love to hear from you.
Key responsibilities:
- Play a hands-on role in shaping our category plans, working closely with the Category Trading Manager to bring bold ideas to life.
- Keep the engine running smoothly by managing supplier funding and maintaining accurate, up-to-date records.
- Help bring our promotions to market, teaming up with marketing to deliver campaigns that drive results.
- Dive into sales insights and turn numbers into action that boosts performance across the board.
- Collaborate across the business to make sure great plans don’t just exist on paper—they happen in real life.
- Spot underperforming Centres and help turn things around with smart, tailored strategies.
- Keep a close eye on the competition and use what you learn to sharpen our edge.
- Take part in regular product reviews to make sure we’re offering what our customers really want.
- Influence what we buy and how we buy it, improving our product mix and brand line-up for better margins.
- Be on the lookout for new products and services that can make a difference—and lead the charge in launching them.
- Make sure suppliers are delivering the right products at the right prices, every time.
- Help roll out trading agreements that reflect our values, from CSR to ethical sourcing.
- Keep service standards high by holding suppliers to account and addressing any dips in performance.
- Negotiate smart rebate deals and steer spending to get the most from supplier partnerships.
- Support our Centres with category queries and uncover new ways they can buy smarter and sell better.
- Build strong relationships inside and outside the business, ensuring category plans are well-informed and widely supported.
About you:
- Experience working in a commercial, category, or buying team.
- Strong customer focus with the ability to identify and respond to customer needs.
- Demonstrates solid commercial awareness and understanding of business drivers.
- Confident analysing large datasets and making insight-led, fact-based decisions.
- Self-starter with the initiative to identify solutions and drive improvements.
- Comfortable collaborating across teams and engaging stakeholders at all levels.
- Positive attitude with a proactive, can-do approach and a drive to deliver results.
We offer a fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, an 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. 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.
Assistant Category Manager in Redditch employer: Halfords
Halfords is an excellent employer that prioritises employee development and offers a supportive work culture in Havant. With comprehensive training programmes and clear pathways to management, team members are empowered to grow their careers while delivering exceptional customer service. The collaborative environment fosters teamwork and ensures that every employee feels valued and motivated to succeed.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Category Manager in Redditch
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like Halfords, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like Halfords!
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Category Manager in Redditch
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at Halfords, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at Halfords and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show Halfords that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Halfords
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
