Lead Category Manager

We are looking for a strategic, data-driven leader with a strong understanding of our business, customer behaviours, and operational dynamics. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of driving performance, influencing cross-functional stakeholders, and leading with a proactive, growth-oriented mindset. This role requires someone who can step up to own the category vision, challenge the status quo, and lead with both insight and impact

Category Strategy & Leadership 

• Define and oversee the overall category strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and market opportunities. 

• Lead research and benchmarking efforts to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for category improvement. 

• Ensure a data-driven approach in category decision-making, balancing consumer demand, competitor activity, and conversion insights. 

• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to set priorities and establish clear objectives for category performance. 

Research & Performance Optimization 

• Oversee market research across multiple European countries, identifying key trends and customer preferences. 

• Challenge and validate the assortment strategies developed by the Category Managers, ensuring they align with performance goals. 

• Analyse sales performance, identifying underperforming products and recommending necessary adjustments. 

• Work with cross-functional teams (Marketing, UX, Research, Operation) to ensure category positioning maximizes conversion rates. 

Team Management & Development 

• Manage and mentor the Category Managers, providing guidance on research methodologies, strategic decision-making, and performance optimization. 

• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that research and data insights lead to proactive category adjustments. 

• Set clear KPIs and success metrics for category performance and individual Category Managers. 

Cross-Team Collaboration & Innovation 

• Work closely with Product, Marketing, and eCommerce teams to ensure the category strategy is effectively executed across platforms. 

• Drive innovation in category management, exploring new ways to improve product selection, pricing, and conversion strategies. 

• Act as the key decision-maker for category prioritization and strategic shifts. 

Key Skills & Attributes: 

• Strategic Ownership: Ability to define and drive a clear category strategy aligned with business priorities and market opportunities. 

• Analytical Rigor: Comfortable working with data to assess performance, challenge assumptions, and identify opportunities for improvement. 

• Leadership & Team Development: Experience managing or mentoring others; ready to take ownership of a team’s development, motivation, and results. 

• Cross-Functional Influence: Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work closely with Marketing, Product, UX, and Operations to execute strategy effectively. 

• Commercial & Customer Insight: Deep understanding of our value proposition, product mix, and customer preferences, with a knack for turning insight into action. 

• Growth Mindset: Demonstrates initiative, continuous learning, and a proactive approach to category innovation and performance improvement. 

• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Confident communicator who can clearly articulate strategy, rally teams around priorities, and influence decision-makers at all levels.