Assistant Category Development Manager - Retail - , BT487TG

We’re looking for an Assistant Category Development Manager to join our team and play a vital role in shaping the retail experience across our stores and parks. Supporting both Grocery and Non-Grocery categories, you’ll help bring exciting product ranges to life, from planograms and promotions to creative collaborations and seasonal events. With around 30% of your time spent on park, you’ll work closely with Activities, Leisure, and Retail teams, using data insights and strong supplier relationships to ensure our stores are stocked and designed to delight guests while driving business success. If you’re passionate about retail strategy, creativity, and collaboration, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow with us.

What you will be doing:

• Supporting category managers in planning and executing retail growth strategies, tracking sales and margin performance, and leading projects to improve KPIs.
• Assisting with category and range management, including data analysis, planogram development, stock forecasting, and aligning product ranges with customer expectations.
• Driving new product development and promotional strategies, managing supplier partnerships, POS/digital asset creation, and seasonal campaigns to boost sales and engagement.
• Managing commercial activities such as trading analysis, stock allocation, supplier negotiations, and shop floor layout advice to maximize retail performance and cost efficiency.
• Building strong relationships with park teams and suppliers, supporting operational compliance and brand standards, and contributing to guest satisfaction through effective communication and insights analysis.

What we’d like you to bring:

• Experience in convenience or travel retail category management, with strong product knowledge in non-grocery categories such as gifts, toys, souvenirs, confectionery, and swimming accessories.
• Proven skills in new product development, range architecture, planogram creation, space analysis, and supplier management, including buying and merchandising.
• Strong business acumen with full P&L understanding, retail management experience, and the ability to define strategic and tactical plans that balance guest, team, and business needs.
• Excellent relationship, stakeholder management, negotiation, influencing, and presentation skills, supported by proficiency in data analysis, Excel, PowerPoint, and market research.
• Experience working in a retail head office environment, with indirect leadership of operational teams, confident communication, and a collaborative, curious, and resourceful approach.

What’s In It For You?

• ‘Holiday Buy Scheme’
• Annual bonus
• Generous discounts on both Haven and Warner Hotels holiday for you, family and friends
• Comprehensive wellbeing support
• Access to the Bourne Leisure corporate box at the O2 Arena, London
• Exclusive discounts with corporate partners
• Exciting career pathways, including Learning and Development opportunities such as Apprenticeships and Degrees
• Enhanced family friendly policies and pay (eligibility criteria applied)

Who are we?

We’re part of an award-winning Bourne Leisure family, which includes Haven & Warner Hotels. We have 9,000 fantastic team members and 39 beautiful seaside locations and our HQ based in Hemel Hempstead.

What’s it like to work with us?

Working with us is ultimately defined by our exceptional people and teams. At Haven, we take pride in our Breath of Fresh Air culture, which focuses on valuing and supporting every team member. We prioritise openness and transparency in our interactions allowing our team members to be their authentic selves. We operate a hybrid working model, meaning 50% of your working week will be spent at the office, occasionally on Park, or at external events.

What can you expect during the recruitment process?

The interview process will be up to 3 stages and may contain a presentation or skills test, depending on the role. If you require any support or reasonable adjustments to help you perform at your best during this process, please let us know. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments or flexibility that you may require, including whether a role can be part-time or a job-share. We genuinely care about every candidate's experience during the recruitment process and are here to provide support where we can. If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments while applying, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.