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- Tasks: Lead the Own Brand strategy, manage suppliers, and drive product growth.
- Company: RS Group has over 80 years of experience solving engineering challenges globally.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid work options, personal development support, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Join a collaborative team focused on innovation and making a positive impact worldwide.
- Qualifications: Experience in category management, supplier negotiation, and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Work across EMEA and APAC regions with a diverse team of over 9000 employees.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
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Category Manager, RS Pro
Location:
Corby, ENG, GB, NN17 5JF Frankfurt, Hesse, DE, 60327 Riga, LV, LV-1013 Manchester, ENG, GB, M2 3AA Sesto San Giovanni, MI, IT, 20099 GB
Brand: RS Group
Work Location: Hybrid
Category Manager
Available Locations (Hybrid): UK (London, Corby, Manchester), Germany (Frankfurt), Italy (Milan), Latvia (Riga)
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.
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Category Manager, RS Pro employer: Rsgroup
Contact Detail:
Rsgroup 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 for the Category Manager role, which can be invaluable during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your negotiation skills and prepare examples of successful supplier management from your past experiences. Being able to articulate your approach to achieving win-win outcomes will demonstrate your suitability for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on industry trends and data analytics tools relevant to category management. Showing that you are proactive about leveraging data insights to drive customer acquisition and product range growth will set you apart as a candidate.
We think you need these skills to ace Category Manager, RS Pro
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Category Manager position. Tailor your application to highlight relevant experience in category management, supplier negotiation, and product lifecycle.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise your experience with own-brand products, managing suppliers, and using data insights. Provide specific examples that demonstrate your commercial acumen and analytical skills.
Showcase Your Skills: Make sure to showcase your strong stakeholder management and communication skills. Mention any experience you have in a matrix or cross-cultural environment, as well as your ability to influence and negotiate effectively.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that not only outlines your qualifications but also reflects your positive attitude and collaborative spirit. Explain why you are passionate about the role and how you can contribute to RS Group's mission of solving engineering problems.
How to prepare for a job interview at Rsgroup
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a solid grasp of what a Category Manager does, especially in the context of RS Pro. Familiarise yourself with their product range and how it aligns with customer needs. This will help you demonstrate your knowledge during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Since managing suppliers and negotiating win-win outcomes is crucial for this role, prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully negotiated deals or resolved conflicts. Highlight your approach and the results achieved.
✨Data-Driven Decision Making
Be ready to discuss how you've used data insights in previous roles to drive product range growth or improve customer acquisition. Bring specific examples that showcase your analytical skills and how they contributed to business success.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
This role requires working closely with various teams, so be prepared to talk about your experience in collaborative environments. Share instances where you effectively communicated and influenced stakeholders to achieve common goals.
