Category Manager, Homewares in Birmingham

We’re partnering with a dynamic global lifestyle brand to recruit a commercial Category Manager to manage their core, market-leading category which includes mirrors and cabinets. This senior role offers true cradle-to-grave ownership, from supplier quote through to in-store execution and ongoing sell-through. You’ll work closely with internal teams and external partners to deliver a range that is innovative, functional, and commercially successful. This is a strategic, hands-on position, ideal for someone with a genuinely curious, technical product mind - someone who wants to understand how things work, not just how they look. This role is about range, innovation, and functionality. You’ll lead projects from supplier quote through launch and beyond, making data-driven decisions, and working closely with stores and marketing to bring products to market and through to strong sell-through.

Key Responsibilities:

• Category Leadership
  • Develop and execute a long-term strategy for the category - thinking in “thin layers” than big-bang change - identifying opportunities for new products, range extensions, and growth.
  • Own the category cradle-to-grave - from supplier quotes and sourcing through to launch, in-branch execution, commercial performance, and retirement of lines.
  • Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and consumer insights to inform category planning and identify areas for differentiation.
• Product Development & Commercial Delivery
  • Develop genuine technical understanding of the range - working alongside the design team.
  • Make decisions on pricing, range architecture, and innovation priorities to maximise performance and profitability.
  • Collaborate with supply chain and sales teams to ensure products are delivered on time, to specification, and within margin targets.
• 360 ownership
  • Treat launch as the first stage, not the end goal – ensuring that the network of stores receive the right training and have everything they need to be a success.
  • Liaise closely with marketing to ensure the range is positioned and supported correctly at every stage, from launch through to ongoing in-store performance.
• Process, Compliance & Quality
  • Maintain oversight of product quality, sustainability requirements, and regulatory compliance.
  • Implement process improvements to streamline category management, supplier interactions, and product launches.
  • Support the accuracy of product information across marketing, merchandising, and retail channels.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Communicate updates and plans across teams to ensure alignment on product strategy and category goals.
  • Work with other category leads to maintain consistency in brand execution across the business.
  • Provide insight and recommendations based on sales data and post-launch performance to guide future development.

Who will love this job

This role will suit a commercially minded product expert with a genuinely curious, technical mind - someone who wants to understand how things work, not just how they look. You’ll thrive if you enjoy owning a category cradle-to-grave, from supplier quote through to launch and beyond, and who sees launch as the first stage of a range rather than the finish line - staying close to sell-through, training, and merchandising long after a product goes live. If you’re someone who thinks in long-term, strategic layers rather than big-bang change, likes to get stuck in with suppliers, and enjoys collaborating across product and marketing, you’ll feel right at home. You’ll also appreciate a supportive, collaborative business where people are trusted to make decisions, learn from mistakes, speak up, and go the extra mile for categories they’re genuinely passionate about.

Requirements:

• Experience in category management or buying within consumer lifestyle, home, or FMCG sectors, including direct, hands-on supplier interaction and negotiation (this is not a role where buying sits with a separate team).
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to interpret sales data and market trends.
• Excellent project management skills and the ability to oversee multiple product streams simultaneously.
• A genuine product-technical mindset - curious about functionality and how things are made, rather than trend- or design-led.
• Collaborative and confident in communicating with branches, internal teams, and external partners, including training and merchandising support post-launch.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and a focus on delivery.

Diversity & Inclusion: ILMJ values diversity, equality, and inclusion and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and identities.