At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy for Personal Care & Audio products, driving innovation and growth.
- Company: Join RKW Ltd, a dynamic company celebrating 35 years in the industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, bonus scheme, private medical cover, and staff discounts.
- Other info: Collaborate across teams to drive success and enhance your career.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment with exciting product launches.
- Qualifications: Experience in category management or product management in consumer goods is essential.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
A new vacancy is now live within RKW Ltd’s Commercial function – at Category Director level, focusing on our Personal Care and Audio products.
We will be looking for someone to work cross-functionally between multiple department, from Supply Chain, through Product Management, to Sales.
Role Purpose
The Category Director for Personal Care & Audio is responsible for leading the full commercial and product lifecycle strategy for a diverse portfolio spanning personal care, grooming, beauty electricals, oral care, hair care, wellbeing, headphones, speakers and connected audio accessories.
The role ensures the business delivers profitable growth, channel-aligned ranging and compelling consumer propositions while maintaining a strategic balance of innovation, quality, value and brand relevance.
Key Responsibilities
- Category Strategy & Leadership -
- Define and deliver the long-term category strategy across Personal Care & Audio, aligned to revenue, margin, brand and channel growth objectives.
- Lead strategic focus on high-value and high-growth segments including hair styling, grooming, oral care, beauty electricals, headphones, earbuds, speakers and audio accessories, ensuring effective lifecycle management and the right balance of core, growth and innovation ranges.
- Drive consumer, shopper, competitor, technology and commercial insight into decision-making across all category plans, ensuring propositions respond to emerging trends in health, beauty, grooming, wellbeing and connected lifestyles.
- Product Lifecycle Management -
- Work with the Product Management team to oversee the NPI and NPD roadmap, ensuring timely approvals, channel-appropriate propositions, regulatory compliance and aligned go-to-market plans.
- Manage the SKU lifecycle from ideation through to exit, including major range reviews, SKU rationalisation activity, innovation pipeline management and margin improvement initiatives.
- Work with supply chain, product management, buying, quality and compliance teams to ensure cost efficiencies, MOQs, technical standards, safety requirements and margin targets are consistently achieved.
- Own the commercial performance for the categories, delivering sales, margin, ASP and market share improvement through insight-led, quality-led and innovation-led propositions.
- Establish high-level pricing architecture across the category portfolio, including premium, mid-tier and value positioning, and approve major promotional strategies to protect margin, brand equity and channel competitiveness.
- Identify new channel and customer opportunities including Grocery, Online, Electrical, Pharmacy, Department Store, Traditional and European markets, supporting sell‑in with compelling product content and investment-aligned activation plans.
- Lead demand generation and demand capture tactics in partnership with marketing and digital teams to build awareness, support launch excellence and improve in-market conversion.
- Cross‑Functional Collaboration -
- Partner with other Category Directors, Product Managers, Buyers, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Quality, Compliance, Sales and Marketing to ensure seamless end-to-end category execution and commercial alignment.
- Support selling teams with improved category education, consumer need-state understanding, Good-Better-Best propositions, brand positioning and channel placement clarity.
- Ensure product content, forecasts, costings, and approvals are aligned ahead of key milestones, including sell‑in and retail promotional windows.
- Work with Product Managers, Buyers, Sales and cross-functional category contributors to build a high-performance, consumer-focused and commercially accountable culture.
- Establish best‑practice processes in category management, product development, lifecycle management, and competitor benchmarking.
- Drive continuous improvement in ways of working across Personal Care & Audio teams, aligning category activity with wider organisational strategy and customer growth priorities.
Skills & Experience Required
- Proven experience in Category Management, Product Management or Senior Sales within Personal Care, Beauty Electricals, Consumer Electronics, Audio or adjacent branded consumer goods categories.
- Strong commercial acumen with a track record of delivering margin, ASP, market share and profitable range growth across fast-moving consumer technology or personal care categories.
- Deep understanding of consumer insight, trend analysis, competitor landscapes, brand positioning and technology-led product innovation.
- Strong product development and lifecycle management expertise, including NPI/NPD processes, technical product launches and range optimisation.
- Excellent influencing skills with the ability to drive alignment across buying, product management, supply chain, quality, compliance, sales and marketing functions.
- Leadership capability to guide multi‑disciplinary teams and develop future commercial talent.
- Highly analytical, organised and proactive in identifying category opportunities, consumer trends, technology shifts, commercial risks and competitor threats.
- Awareness of relevant product safety, quality, claims, packaging and regulatory considerations within personal care electricals and consumer electronics.
Personal Care
Hair dryers, stylers, straighteners, grooming, shaving, trimmers, oral care, beauty electricals, wellness and health-focused personal care products.
Audio
Headphones, earbuds, speakers, portable audio, soundbars, connected audio accessories and related technology-led propositions.
- Success Measures -
- Year-on-year category revenue, margin and market share growth across Personal Care & Audio.
- Improved ASP, stronger mix of innovation-led propositions and reduction of low-value, short-term tactical ranges.
- Successful execution of NPD roadmap, launch plans, lifecycle plans and range reviews.
- Reduction in SKU duplication and improved clarity across range architecture, price tiers and customer/channel propositions.
- Strong channel performance and increased distribution across UK, Europe and ROW customers.
- High category team engagement and capability uplift.
- PLEASE NOTE : - Closing date for applications is currently set at Monday August 10 th
- all CVs will be reviewed and responded to, once the closing date has passed.
Package & Benefits –
- Competitive Market Salary with regular reviews
- Company Car
- Bonus Scheme
- Life Insurance Scheme
- Elevated Pension Contribution
- Private Personal Medical Cover
- Staff Discounts on all products
- Free secure parking on all sites
- Eye Care Support
- Come and help us to celebrate 35 years of business
*Notice to agencies.
R K Wholesale Limited (the Company) will not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies, search firms, or independent agents for this available role.
Resumes submitted without specific vacancy authorisation and valid signed agreement in place will become the sole property of the Company.
Therefore, no fee will be payable should a candidate be hired as a result of an unsolicited agency, search firm or independent agent's referral. *
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Category Director - Personal Care & Audio employer: RKW Limited
RKW Ltd offers a vibrant and supportive work environment where employees can thrive in their roles, particularly as a Dropship Sales Order Processor. With a focus on building strong customer relationships and a commitment to employee development, RKW provides ample opportunities for growth and advancement within the company. Enjoy benefits such as 25 days of annual leave, free parking, and exclusive discounts, all while being part of a dynamic team that values collaboration and innovation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Director - Personal Care & Audio
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for RKW Limited and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like RKW Limited are looking for.
✨Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase your passion for marketing communications. Share insights, articles, and your own content that resonates with the industry. Tagging or interacting with RKW Limited on these platforms can catch the eye of recruiters and show you're genuinely interested in them.
✨Attend Industry Events
Keep an eye out for marketing conferences and workshops. These are great places to meet potential employers face-to-face and make connections that could land you a full-time role at RKW Limited. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Category Director - Personal Care & Audio
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit RKW Limited. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of RKW Limited:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about RKW Limited’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at RKW Limited
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at RKW Limited will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At RKW Limited, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
