Senior Category Manager - OTC

Join to apply for the Senior Category Manager - OTC role at Holland & Barrett. Are you ready to join a company that's thriving in the face of challenges? While many UK retailers are navigating tough times, Holland & Barrett is experiencing remarkable double-digit growth year-on-year. Our success story is built on our diversified international markets, the expansion of our digital offerings, and our dedication to educating customers about their wellbeing. As more people become engaged with their personal health, we're leading the way in making a positive impact.

We have a fantastic opportunity to join us as a Senior Category Manager – OTC, you'll own and drive the growth of this emerging category at H&B. With full P&L responsibility, you'll lead supplier negotiations, establish strategic partnerships, and develop a winning category strategy across product, pricing, promotions, and channels. Your focus will be on driving revenue, innovation, and profitability while increasing customer awareness and unlocking new opportunities for the business.

• Develop and execute the category strategy for the new OTC category, setting a strategic growth plan with the Category Director, leading the sourcing and development of ranges that meet customer requirements and company objectives.
• Lead supplier negotiations and joint business planning with key strategic partners to maximize profitability and ensure suppliers meet requirements on margin, marketing support, and delivery performance.
• Work closely with the customer and insight team to analyse H&B, industry and consumer trends, to inform product selection and category strategy.
• Work closely with the Digital team to understand customer behaviour online and tailor trade plan and marketing activity to drive revenue, conversion, and repeat purchase.
• Continuously review current Category performance across Retail and Digital as well as the emerging Online marketplace to drive profitable growth ahead of the market.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to build an annual ‘always on' campaign.
• Maximize the success of promotional activities and new product launches.
• Work closely with the planning team to manage stock levels effectively, working to reduce overstocks and slow-moving inventory.
• Be responsible for negotiating and delivering fixed funding across the VHMS supply base, focused on reducing working capital and managing cost to hit the VHMS EBITDA target.
• Be confident and motivated to cover for the Category Director at WTR meetings, Strategy engagement & Strategic supplier meetings internally and externally.

Location: This role is based in Nuneaton, and may be occasionally required to travel to our London Hub or to any other location of H&B. We support flexibility and productivity of our employees by hybrid working arrangements with minimum 2 days presence in the office.

• Previous experience in a Buying or Category Management role specifically looking after OTC in a large retailer.
• Knowledge and understanding of P&L ownership & Budgeting.
• Demonstrable Industry expertise of OTC and Category Management.
• Experience of sourcing product and developing Own Brand ranges as well as negotiating Branded listings.
• Knowledge and understanding of working with Supply chain and planning teams optimising stock management.
• Proven history of growing categories within the OTC sector.
• Knowledge of OTC and the supply base.
• Strong analytical abilities to identify trends and set up P&L analysis.
• Experience in developing and implementing successful customer driven category strategies.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with suppliers and internal multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience managing OTC seasonal range.
• Experience in management of suppliers.

for this role include, but not limited to:

• H&B Employee Discount - 25%
• Bonus
• Pension company contribution
• 33 Days Holiday per year (Inclusive of bank holidays)
• Private Medical Care
• Exclusive benefits, free advice and savings from a range of retailers and providers
• Electric Car Scheme

We're passionate about helping every colleague thrive across all dimensions of wellbeing, and we're committed to having a diverse and inclusive workplace. In line with our EPIC values (Expertise, Pioneering, Inclusive, Caring), we embrace and actively celebrate all our colleagues' unique and varying experiences, backgrounds, identities and cultures - I am me, we are H&B.