Product Category Planner in Luton

At Shoal Group, we’re more than just a business — we’re a team built on trust, commitment, and collaboration. Everything we do is driven by a passion for lasting relationships — with our customers, our partners, and most importantly, with each other. Our customers count on us for more than high-quality products — they rely on our expertise, reliability, and seamless service to keep the world powered and connected.

Shoal Group was founded in late 2019 through the coming together of Cablecraft and FS Cables, with a shared vision of creating a platform for long-term, sustainable growth. We expanded further in 2021 with the acquisition of SWA and Shinktek, and today, we’re proud to be part of Diploma PLC — a FTSE 100-listed company with a global presence in Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls sector. Our new headquarters is situated in Luton, Bedfordshire, with a sales office in Gloucestershire and our manufacturing centre of excellence in Plymouth, Devon. Across the organisation, we have a vision of becoming a leading distributor of cables and cable accessories in the electrical industry, delivering value across multiple channels, including wholesale, contractors, and OEMs. We aim to serve a diverse industry across Europe and the rest of the world whilst growing the business both organically and through acquisition.

About the role: As a member of the Product Category Team, you are responsible for supporting and developing the Group’s product offering across defined markets. Your primary goal is to support in driving sales growth through portfolio diversification, product rationalisation, strategic sourcing, and product innovation — increasing market share and unlocking new revenue opportunities within a competitive sector.

You will support the commercial and technical strategy for the category by working closely with Category Managers, our product suppliers, internal stakeholders, and customers. From product sourcing and new product introduction (NPI) to pricing, compliance, and lifecycle management, you will ensure our products meet customer needs, adhere to relevant standards, and deliver strong commercial performance.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Work with the Product Category team to develop the product strategy for the category and related product ranges.
• Identify opportunities for product diversification and range expansion to support market penetration and sales growth.
• Work with the Product Category Managers in developing New Product Introduction (NPI) — including market research, supplier selection, technical evaluation, cost modelling, and go-to-market planning.
• Engage with both domestic and international suppliers to source innovative products, negotiate pricing, and manage ongoing performance when required.
• Support product and supplier consolidation initiatives to simplify the range, improve purchasing efficiency, including optimised stock levels, and strengthen supplier partnerships.
• Monitor the overall performance of the product range, including sales, margins, and market share metrics and work with the Product Category Managers to improve results each month.
• Collaborate closely with the Sales team to enhance market penetration, ensuring alignment on product positioning, customer needs, and competitive intelligence.
• Work alongside your team to ensure all products meet relevant technical specifications, compliance requirements (e.g., BS, IEC, RoHS, CPR), and customer expectations.
• Support and maintain accurate product data, including specifications, certifications, datasheets, ERP information, and commercial documentation.
• Support with pricing strategy and margin performance for the category — ensuring products are both commercially viable and competitively positioned.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and industry developments to shape the product roadmap and identify opportunities for innovation or value engineering.
• Work with Purchasing teams to manage supplier performance and lead times.
• Adhere to all health and safety guidelines, including wearing appropriate protective equipment and following safe working practices.
• Be aware of hazards around the site and be proactive in identifying them and supporting the removal of hazards identified by others.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and procedures, including anti-bribery and data protection.
• Provides support and, when requested, suggestions for the improvement and development of a product category, range or SKU, aligning decisions with overall business goals.
• Takes direction to work through pricing, profitability, and supplier performance to drive sustainable growth whilst working independently and as part of a team.
• Builds strong, cross-functional relationships with Sales, Purchasing, Operations, and Marketing to deliver category success.
• Establishes and supports effective supplier partnerships to secure quality, reliability, and cost competitiveness.
• Uses data and market insight to make clear, informed recommendations that balance risk, cost, and opportunity.
• Champions customer needs and ensures products meet evolving market demands and technical standards.
• Identifies and solves problems proactively to maintain project momentum and prevent disruption.
• Supports innovation through product development and NPI, responding to market trends and emerging technologies.
• Communicates clearly and confidently with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Maintains a strong results focus, tracking and responding to key performance indicators such as sales, margin, and market share.
• Collaborates effectively across teams, encouraging alignment and a shared commitment to product performance.
• Adapts quickly to change, supports the category team through supplier shifts, product transitions, and market challenges.
• Drives their personal development with support from the line manager.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Experience in a Product Category, Buyer role within the electrical industry, or industrial-related product sectors is desirable.
• Strong understanding of cabling products and applicable industry standards (e.g., BS EN, IEC, RoHS, CPR) is highly desirable.
• Demonstrates understanding and where possible demonstrates knowledge and methods in launching new products, driving growth in defined product categories, and increasing market share.
• Experience with international supplier engagement, sourcing, and negotiation is desirable.
• Commercially astute with strong pricing, margin analysis, and strategic planning skills is desirable.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); experience with ERP systems is highly desirable.