Category Planner - Sainsbury's General Merchandise in London

At the core of Sainsbury's General Merchandise is the Category Planning & Ranging team, responsible for optimising and delivering the category and overall GM strategy through key events, secondary space, in aisle and across channels. The team brings together customer insight, commercial performance and cross-functional collaboration to deliver outcomes that support both customers and colleagues. Working closely with Buying, Marketing, Nectar360, Space Planning and supply partners, the team plays a key role in shaping category success.

As a Category Planner, you will be responsible for planning and execution of the GM Category Plan, balancing short-term performance with longer-term strategic priorities. You will review weekly and trended performance, identify opportunities and translate insight into clear, actionable plans that drive category performance. You will work closely with Buying, Marketing, Nectar360, Insights and wider stakeholders to deliver category initiatives and support key projects. The role requires building strong relationships across the business and supply base to ensure effective implementation of category strategy and identification of new growth opportunities.

You will bring experience of working in a commercial or data-led environment, using a range of insights, including EPOS and panel data, to inform decision making. You are able to analyse multiple data sources, identify trends and communicate clear recommendations to stakeholders. You will demonstrate experience coordinating activity across teams and managing priorities effectively. You will be comfortable building relationships across functions, influencing stakeholders and delivering outcomes within a fast-paced and evolving commercial environment.

• Experience in a customer-facing commercial role within FMCG, retail, or supplier environment (e.g. buying, category planning, account management, commercial strategy), with evidence of using customer and commercial insight to drive performance outcomes.
• Proven ability to analyse and interpret large and complex data sets (e.g. EPOS, panel, financial or trading data), and translate insights into clear recommendations or frameworks that inform decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders at multiple levels of seniority, and deliver outcomes through collaboration rather than direct authority.
• Proven track record of leading or delivering complex projects or change initiatives in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and driving execution to deadlines.
• Strong understanding of commercial drivers (e.g. sales, profit, margin, customer metrics), with evidence of prioritising actions that deliver tangible performance improvement.
• Experience contributing to or leading strategic planning activity (e.g. category strategy, transformation projects, customer proposition development), with the ability to balance short-term performance with longer-term opportunities.
• Experience working in ambiguous or evolving environments, with ability to shape direction rather than follow defined processes.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new - whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits.

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to get 10% off at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat after 4 weeks. This increases to 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform.

Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy additional holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, pay advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme, you will also be eligible for private healthcare too. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).