Category Manager

Senior Commercial Category Manager £40,000 + 20% Annual Bonus Supplier Partnerships | Category Strategy | Margin Improvement The Opportunity Our client is a successful and growing business operating within the flooring, interiors and construction supply sector. They are seeking a commercially driven Senior Commercial Category Manager to lead supplier relationships, optimise product categories and drive commercial performance across the business. This is a highly visible role, working closely with Operations, Estimating, Finance and Sales to improve margins, strengthen supplier partnerships and support future growth. The position would suit someone with experience in category management, commercial procurement, supplier management or product range ownership within construction supply, merchanting, distribution, flooring or interiors. The Role You will be responsible for managing supplier relationships, commercial agreements and category performance, ensuring the business maximises value from its supplier base while maintaining a competitive product offering. This role combines strategic thinking with a hands-on approach and offers genuine influence across the business. Key Responsibilities Supplier Management Build and maintain strong supplier and manufacturer relationships. Conduct supplier reviews and monitor performance against KPIs. Manage supply, service and product-related issues. Drive supplier accountability, service improvements and responsiveness. Commercial Negotiation Negotiate pricing, rebates, payment terms and commercial agreements. Manage supplier discussions around price increases and market changes. Identify opportunities to improve margins and supplier value. Work with Finance to support commercial returns and cash flow. Category & Product Management Manage product categories across multiple sales channels. Optimise product ranges to support customer demand and profitability. Identify opportunities for innovation, upgrades and range improvements. Work closely with operational teams to ensure products are practical and efficient to deliver. Margin & Performance Analyse supplier and category profitability. Support pricing strategies and margin protection initiatives. Monitor inflationary pressures and cost recovery opportunities. Provide commercial insight and performance reporting. Stakeholder & Supplier Partnerships Collaborate with Commercial, Operations, Finance, Customer Service and Sales teams. Develop strategic supplier partnerships to support future growth. Secure supplier support including marketing contributions, training, promotional activity and showroom support. About You We're looking for someone who is: Commercially astute and confident. Experienced in supplier management and negotiation. Skilled in category management and profitability analysis. Relationship-focused with strong stakeholder management skills. Organised, proactive and hands-on. Comfortable influencing at all levels of a business. Able to balance operational realities with commercial objectives. Ideal Background Experience in one or more of the following sectors would be advantageous: Flooring Interiors Builders Merchants Construction Supply Distribution & Wholesale Housebuilder Supply Chains Home Improvement Products Retail Category Management Experience in category management, procurement, supplier negotiations, pricing, margin improvement and commercial performance analysis is highly desirable. Salary & Benefits £40,000 per annum 20% annual bonus Private healthcare 23 days holiday, rising to 25 days after 5 years' service 5 paid sick days per year 4% matched pension contribution Monday to Friday working pattern 40-hour working week Long-term career development opportunities Opportunity to shape a growing commercial function Supportive leadership team with ambitious growth plans If you're looking for a role where you can make a genuine commercial impact and help shape the future of a growing private equity-backed business, we'd love to hear from you. To Apply Please send your up-to-date CV to (url removed) or call (phone number removed) for a confidential discussion