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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage product ranges, develop strategies, and collaborate with teams to meet customer needs.
- Company: Join IronmongeryDirect, the UK's leading supplier in architectural ironmongery.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days leave, private healthcare, discounts, and a performance bonus.
- Other info: Recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces, offering excellent career growth.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team and make a real impact on product development.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in commercial and category management with strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
About Us
At IronmongeryDirect, we have been a trusted name in architectural ironmongery for over 50 years. What started as a traditional ironmongery shop has since grown into the UK’s leading direct supplier, delivering thousands of parcels each week. With a vast range of over 18,000 high-quality products available for next-day delivery, we’re the reliable choice for tradespeople who value efficiency, expert advice, and top-tier service. We’re proud to be recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Retail, Hospitality & Leisure 2025 by Great Place to Work®, reflecting our commitment to creating an exceptional employee experience.
About The Role
This role is responsible for the product introduction, maintenance and development of specific product ranges to meet the needs of our target customers. It includes managing the products through the product life cycle, researching and identifying products and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working in partnership with our supply-chain team and external suppliers. This role includes the management and development of junior members of the team and working closely with our digital, customer-service, marketing and supply-chain teams to ensure revenue profitability and customer satisfaction targets are met. The role reports directly to the department manager, ensuring lengthy sign-off processes are avoided and speed of delivery is fundamental.
Accountabilities
- Deliver the relevant budgeted sales and margin contribution for the relevant product areas
- Ensure clear development plans are in place and day-to-day management of any direct reports, including regular 1-to-1s and appraisals
- Define the product strategy and roadmap for relevant product areas
- Present business cases for product range developments
- Introduce new product ranges within the given time-scales
- Develop the core positioning and messaging for products and categories
- Source new product ranges
- Negotiate terms and cost pricing with suppliers
- Merchandise products through the catalogue and website to achieve maximum product performance
- Conduct product range reviews to increase profitability and efficiency of the product range
- Monitor, analyse and report product range performance statistics, making appropriate recommendations and actions to maximise performance
- Utilise Google Analytics and work with the Digital team to implement actions to improve conversion rates
- Apply clear and competitive pricing principles to each range ensuring a clear hierarchy that achieves profitability targets
- Develop sales tools for the Contact Centre
- Work with the marketing department to develop product launch and product marketing plans
- Develop product management workflow and processes
About You – Essential
- Commercial & Category proven experience within the same or an equivalent role
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent teamwork skills
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams
- Strong negotiation skills and experience managing supplier relationships
- Strong awareness of competitors, pricing strategies and market trends
- Ability to oversee and manage the workload of direct reports
- Strong ability to analyse data, draw conclusions and set strategic actions
About You – Desirable
- Industry & Technical Product knowledge
- E-commerce & Digital experience of trading product in an omnichannel environment
- Project & Change management experience & ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave plus public bank holidays, including the option to buy and sell up to three days per holiday year
- Subsidised private healthcare for employees and their families
- Enhanced family leave benefits
- Fully funded wellbeing offering operated by Health Shield with the ability to claim back medical costs, access to an EAP service including counselling sessions, a GP Anytime service and more
- PERKS – a rewards platform offering hundreds of deals and discounts from the brands you know and love
- Discretionary annual company performance bonus
- Regular WOW awards for those that go above and beyond
- Staff suggestion scheme with associated rewards
- Staff discount on our products
- Long service awards, including additional annual leave, life insurance and increased employer pension contributions
- Two paid volunteer days per year
- £500 refer a friend incentive scheme
Please note this job description does not claim to be exhaustive in the duties it defines, and it may change from time to time.
Category Manager in Basildon employer: IronmongeryDirect
Contact Detail:
IronmongeryDirect Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Manager in Basildon
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its products. Understand their market position and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. This shows you're genuinely interested and well-prepared.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain why you're the perfect fit for the Category Manager role. Highlight your commercial experience and how you can contribute to product strategy and profitability.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at IronmongeryDirect.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Manager in Basildon
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see why you're excited about being a Category Manager at IronmongeryDirect and how your experience aligns with our values.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure to customise your CV to highlight relevant experience that matches the job description. Focus on your commercial and category management skills, and don’t forget to mention any successful projects you've led!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate well-structured applications that are easy to read and understand.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it gets into the right hands quickly, and we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at IronmongeryDirect
✨Know Your Products
Before the interview, dive deep into IronmongeryDirect's product range. Familiarise yourself with their offerings and think about how you can contribute to their product strategy. Being able to discuss specific products and suggest potential improvements will show your genuine interest and expertise.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Since this role involves negotiating terms with suppliers, prepare examples of past negotiations you've successfully handled. Highlight your approach, the challenges you faced, and the outcomes. This will demonstrate your strong negotiation skills and ability to manage supplier relationships effectively.
✨Data-Driven Decision Making
IronmongeryDirect values data analysis for product performance. Brush up on your analytical skills and be ready to discuss how you've used data in previous roles to make strategic decisions. Bring examples of how your insights led to improved profitability or efficiency.
✨Team Collaboration is Key
This role requires working closely with various teams. Prepare to share experiences where you've successfully collaborated across departments. Emphasise your teamwork skills and how you’ve influenced cross-functional teams to achieve common goals, as this will resonate well with their company culture.