Category Manager

Job Title: Category Manager / Product Executive
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Location: Northamptonshire (3 days onsite, 2 from home)
Salary: £35,000 - £40,000

Are you a Buyer, Category Executive, Product Specialist or Junior Product Manager looking to take the next step in your career?

SF Partners are working with an established and growing business, who are looking for a commercially minded Product / Category Manager to take ownership of a key product portfolio across international markets.

The Role
You'll play a key role in developing and managing a product portfolio, working closely with internal teams to ensure products remain competitive, commercially successful and aligned with customer and market requirements.

You'll have the opportunity to become the product expert for your assigned categories, helping to identify new opportunities, support product launches and manage products throughout their lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities
- Manage and develop an assigned product portfolio, supporting the overall product strategy and roadmap.
- Research market trends, customer requirements and competitor activity to identify new product opportunities.
- Support the development and launch of new products from initial concept through to market.
- Work closely with suppliers, sourcing, technical and operational teams throughout the NPD process.
- Support product pricing, margin analysis and commercial performance.
- Monitor sales, margin and product performance, identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Work closely with Sales and Marketing teams to support successful product launches and go-to-market activity.
- Ensure product information, specifications and supporting documentation remain accurate and up to date.
- Support the management of product lifecycle, including new product introductions and product phase-outs.
- Work with Supply Chain and Planning teams to minimise obsolete stock and ensure appropriate product availability.
- Develop strong relationships with internal stakeholders, customers and suppliers.
- Keep up to date with relevant market developments, customer requirements and industry standards.

The successful candidate will need to have experience in a current product, category, buying or commercial role, ready to take the next step in your product career.

Ideally, you'll have:
- Experience managing or supporting a product, category or range.
- Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of pricing and margin.
- Experience working with suppliers and/or manufacturers.
- Exposure to new product development or product launches.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, market and product data.
- Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
- Stakeholder management skills.
- A genuine interest in products and understanding what makes a product commercially successful.

Experience within electrical products, building products, lighting, home improvement, manufacturing or another technical product environment would be highly advantageous.

If you would like to progress an application forward or find out more, please click 'Apply Now' with a copy of your updated CV.