Reporting To & Location
Reporting to: Category Manager. Based: Wellingborough / Watford.
Job Summary
Play a key role in shaping our product categories, delighting customers, and driving cash profit while building standout skills in a major UK business.
We’re excited to offer a 10 month fixed‑term opportunity to join our Catering team as a Category Manager – Designate. This role is perfect for someone who wants to accelerate their career, gain hands‑on experience in a large, well‑established organisation, and develop the kind of commercial skills that open doors.
As a Category Manager – Designate, you’ll be stepping into a role designed around your growth. You’ll work closely with an experienced mentor, be supported by a structured development programme, and get real exposure to how a major product function operates. You’ll build confidence, learn how to manage a product portfolio, and contribute to decisions that genuinely impact the business.
Whether you’re looking to step up, switch direction, or gain experience in a competitive field, this role gives you the platform to do it – with the backing of a respected brand and a team invested in your development.
This is a hybrid role, giving you the flexibility to balance focused home working with valuable in‑person collaboration.
Responsibilities
- The development and implementation of category plans ensuring delivery of sales, margin and profit are met whilst maintaining continuity of product availability.
- Source and manage products to grow both brand and own brand sales and profitability.
- Work with suppliers to deliver best availability, profitability and customer satisfaction.
- Seek and react to customer feedback to help shape the category plan.
- Develop and communicate a category plan for the relevant product category.
- Ensure product range reflects customer needs, e.g. follows the principles of good, better and best.
- Communicate and develop relationships across other parts of the business, e.g. supply chain, sales teams and operations.
- Follow our Business Code of Conduct and always act with integrity and due diligence championing diversity and inclusion.
Operational Skills
- Exceptional communication & stakeholder management
- Be able to work independently to problem solve and make commercial decisions
- Solid understanding of commercial requirements, profit calculation, sales analysis
- Attention to detail, writing of reports, interpreting data and keeping of accurate records.
- Maintain knowledge of relevant markets and market developments
- Ability to flex work approach
Experience
- Understanding of Buying
EEO and Inclusive Hiring
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) at Booker means that whoever you are and whatever your background, we always want you to feel represented and that you can be yourself at work. In short, we’re a place where Everyone’s Welcome.
We’re proud that Booker is a Disability Confident Leader and we’re committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process.
Additional Conditions
Please note: We can only accept candidates over the age of 18 if the role requires working before 6:15 am or after 9:45 pm or involves working in areas such as the warehouse, beers, wines & spirits, and driving roles.
Contact
For further information on the accessibility support you can expect, please contact recruitment@bookergroup.com.
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