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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Own Brand strategy and collaborate with teams to drive product growth.
- Company: Join RS Group, a global leader in engineering solutions with over 80 years of experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid work options, personal development support, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team that values curiosity and innovative problem-solving for a better world.
- Qualifications: Experience in category management, supplier negotiation, and strong analytical skills are essential.
- Other info: Work across EMEA and APAC regions, influencing global strategies and making a real impact.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
The RS Pro team have an opening for a Category Manager! The Category Manager develops and executes the Own Brand strategy for their aligned product technologies through product knowledge, sourcing, negotiation, bringing the goods to market, reporting and end of life range decisions. You’ll be working in close collaboration with the RS PRO team in Compliance, Quality, Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability, the global sourcing team, the local regional stakeholders and the data team – ensuring to deliver profitable growth, accelerated customer acquisition and superior ROI. With a mandate covering RS, the role operates internationally across EMEA and APAC regions as well as globally in conjunction with strategic supplier relationships.
What you will be doing:
- Delivering the RS PRO NPI Road Map, strategies and business plans
- Conducting supplier range reviews and engagement to maximise growth
- Ensuring the product range is fully aligned to customer needs
- Delivering product range growth by supplier and product segment
- Effective use of Data insights to maximise customer penetration
- Deliver KPIs for managed suppliers and technologies:
- Revenue
- Margin
- Return on Investment
- Customer acquisition
- Number of products sold
- New product introduction revenue
- Inventory health
- Own Brand (RS Pro) share of category
- Influencing NES and NPS scores
What we are looking for from you, in order to be successful in this role:
- Category Management experience (Own-Brand experience would be an advantage)
- Prior experience managing suppliers, and negotiating win-win outcomes
- An understanding of product lifecycle and new product introduction, preferably in own brand.
- Product range knowledge within Industrial Automation, Facilities Maintenance or Electronics
- Strong commercial acumen, including interpreting and understanding large data-sets
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
- Strong analytical skillset and strong attention to detail
- Experience of online trading and digital tools
- A collaborative team player
- Positive can-do attitude, takes ownership and results oriented
- Strong influencing skills and ability to negotiate with suppliers.
- Operational problem solver and good process management capability
- Experience working with leading suppliers / brands
- Experience of working in a matrix and cross-cultural environment
- Experience of working with an online digital toolset
- Experience of working in a Commercial environment
We are RS Group: At RS we’ve been solving engineering problems for over 80 years: big ones, small ones, easy and difficult ones. We turn the ‘what ifs’ into the ‘why nots’, the impossible into the possible. Our purpose? Making amazing happen for a better world. We offer service and product solutions. We send out a parcel every 2 seconds, to over 130 countries. We provide over 700,000 in-stock and over 3 million unstocked products to more than 1.2 million customers. We want people like you, as you are curious about things, you like doing things differently and also in a human way with empathy. Because that’s exactly how we partner with people – our customers, suppliers, colleagues and communities – to solve problems. We’ll also invest in your development and wellbeing – because building a more diverse and inclusive culture, being ethical, responsible and committed to our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) action plan is at the heart of everything we do. Come and join us and over 9000 employees worldwide – and we’ll help you to think big, do more and unleash your brilliance, so you do amazing things too.
Category Manager, RS Pro employer: RS Group PLC
Contact Detail:
RS Group PLC Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Category Manager, RS Pro
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with RS Pro's product range and their market positioning. Understanding their unique selling points and how they differentiate themselves in the industrial automation, facilities maintenance, or electronics sectors will give you an edge during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of RS Group on platforms like LinkedIn. Engaging with them can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable when preparing for interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your negotiation skills and supplier management strategies. Since the role involves significant interaction with suppliers, demonstrating your ability to create win-win outcomes will be crucial in the interview process.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss how you've used data insights to drive product range growth in previous roles. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your analytical skills and commercial acumen, as these are key attributes for the Category Manager position.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Manager, RS Pro
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Category Manager position. Familiarise yourself with the key tasks such as developing strategies, managing suppliers, and using data insights.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to highlight relevant experience in category management, supplier negotiation, and product lifecycle knowledge. Emphasise any experience with own-brand products and your analytical skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for the role and the company. Mention specific examples of how your skills align with the job description, particularly in stakeholder management and commercial acumen.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your application, be sure to detail your experience in online trading and digital tools, as well as your ability to work in a cross-cultural environment. Use metrics to demonstrate your success in previous roles, such as revenue growth or customer acquisition.
How to prepare for a job interview at RS Group PLC
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a solid grasp of what a Category Manager does, especially in relation to Own Brand strategies. Familiarise yourself with the specific responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as supplier management and product lifecycle understanding.
✨Showcase Your Data Skills
Since strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret large data sets are crucial for this role, be prepared to discuss your experience with data insights. Bring examples of how you've used data to drive decisions or improve outcomes in previous roles.
✨Demonstrate Stakeholder Management
This position requires excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Prepare to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with different teams or managed supplier relationships to achieve win-win outcomes.
✨Exhibit a Collaborative Mindset
RS Group values a collaborative team player. During the interview, highlight instances where you've worked effectively in a team, particularly in cross-cultural environments, and how you contributed to achieving common goals.
