Category Director

Location: This is a hybrid role, offering a combination of being able to work remotely and from our European offices – there will be some travel involved across our European business.

The Opportunity

The Category Director is accountable for developing the category strategy/business plan aligned with group, regional and local stakeholders enabling targeted profitable growth, customer acquisition and ROI in addition to effective supplier management through delivery of the best in class regional offer for our customers. The strategy defines and details the regional supplier portfolio, product range and growth initiatives. The category strategy and business plans are developed collaboratively with key stakeholders across the business. Most importantly this incorporates support of local go-to-market strategies, e.g. focus on specific industry verticals and local hero brands. It defines and details the regional supplier portfolio, product range and growth initiatives. It is also the foundation for plans and execution of supplier management and other related functions.

Alongside the development and execution of the aligned Category strategy, the Category Director is accountable for delivering the budgeted category revenue and margin performance of the category whilst maintaining the relevant stock metrics (stock turn, inventory holding and provision management).

Supports their team in optimising the commercial terms from each supplier managed within the category, usually linked to regional initiatives that rely on supplier support. The Category Director also leads the development of senior / C-suite relationships with the most important and strategic suppliers, facilitating strategic partnerships to optimise joint business growth and provide a point of escalation to defuse any conflict. They should also support the development of relationships of RS leadership with their supplier equivalents.

• Accountable for the people management of the category team, supporting their personal development and coaching to optimise their portfolio and supplier management execution against the strategy.


• Ensures high potential talent is identified and supported with corresponding personal development plan. Succession plans in place for the category to support smooth transition as key individuals progress.


• Defines KPIs and category priorities for the team with associated objectives and review cycle.


• Takes the lead in managing the cross functional category leadership team supporting the E2E teams and maintaining alignment around the holistic category strategy. This provides a point of escalation for the end-to-end "cell" teams and facilitates removing blockers that are preventing execution of the strategy.

What You Will Be Doing

• Supports their team in optimising the commercial terms from each supplier managed within the category, usually linked to regional initiatives that rely on supplier support. The Category Director also leads the development of senior / C-suite relationships with the most important and strategic suppliers, facilitating strategic partnerships to optimise joint business growth and provide a point of escalation to defuse any conflict.


• They should also support the development of relationships of RS leadership with their supplier equivalents.

• Accountable for the people management of the category team, supporting their personal development and coaching to optimise their portfolio and supplier management execution against the strategy.


• Ensures high potential talent is identified and supported with corresponding personal development plan. Succession plans in place for the category to support smooth transition as key individuals progress.


• Defines KPIs and category priorities for the team with associated objectives and review cycle.


• Takes the lead in managing the cross functional category leadership team supporting the E2E teams and maintaining alignment around the holistic category strategy. This provides a point of escalation for the end-to-end "cell" teams and facilitates removing blockers that are preventing execution of the strategy.

• Achieving budgeted category revenue, margin and stock turn targets for the Category.


• Executing on aligned category strategy supporting the region's and markets' go to market strategies.


• Achieving agreed targets for regional initiatives reflected in the regional budget (e.g. Direct Procurement).


• Market share growth for Strategic and Key suppliers and for the category as a whole.


• Achieving rebate and marketing funding targets for the Category.


• Executing agreed NPI plan for Category and delivering budgeted NPI revenue.


• Effective alignment and management of the E2E category team to achieve all cross functional E2E KPIs.


• Supporting growth and development of top talent within the Category and subsequent execution of the succession plan to ensure continuity.


• Develop a digital mindset within the team to make better business decisions

What You’ll Bring

Essential experience required:

• Demonstrable expertise at managing within a matrix organisation.


• Experience of both Buying and Product management (Category management) delivering great growth results whilst improving commercial profitability.


• Successful development and execution of a category strategy that has delivered profitable growth and market share gains.


• Ability to function effectively across cultures, to think and act appropriately and to communicate and work with people from different cultural backgrounds.


• Successful supplier management experience, including negotiation expertise.


• Collaborative team player finding common ground to find a way forward.


• Strong commercial acumen and communication skills.


• Proven ability to lead and develop high performing teams. Problem solving capabilities, finding positive solutions from challenging circumstances.


• Can demonstrate effective working and adaption to a changing environment, quickly accepting and driving the change through themselves and their team


• Desirable:


• Relevant technology experience/technical expertise.


• Ability to communicate effectively in a second language alongside fluent English, ideally having lived in more than one country

Key opportunities for growth in this role:

• Help shape the strategic direction for the region through offering insight at a category level, informed by suppliers investment plans/strategic direction.


• Opportunity to develop influencing skills and build cross functional relationships across the region.


• Develop senior external supplier relationships, broadening understanding of external markets (suppliers/industries/technologies).


• Optimise negotiation skills through Supplier interactions to optimise commercial returns for RS Group.


• Interaction with the broader P&SC leadership team to better understand the E2E dynamics of buying and distributing products.


• Opportunity to be an evangelist for RS Group with suppliers, selling our value proposition and embedding RS as a preferred partner within their go to market strategy/approach.


• Driving innovation through adapting to new technology or finding new solutions to solve problems/challenges

We Are RS

We’ve been solving industry problems for over 80 years. We turn the ‘what ifs’ into the ‘why nots’, the impossible into the possible.

Our purpose? Making amazing happen for a better world.

We offer service and product solutions to over 1.2 million customers globally, shipping a parcel every 2 seconds to over 130 countries. With over 800,000 stocked and 3 million unstocked products, we’re a trusted partner to the world’s leading industries.

We’re looking for curious, driven, and empathetic professionals to join our journey. People who think differently, act with purpose, and want to make a real impact. 

Rewards

Our Reward Strategy Philosophy is designed to offer market competitive base salaries and provide all of our people the opportunity to participate in a short-term incentive, enabling them to share in the success of the Company.

Our total reward package is more than just the cash; our recognition and benefit offering provide the opportunity for us to recognise, reward and enable the wellbeing of our people at all stages of their journey with RS. Our rewards and benefits vary by country, but include:

• Financial - pension/retirement; life assurance; salary finance (payroll deduction loan scheme)


• Wellbeing - medical plans; health screening; critical illness; disability insurance; holiday / paid time off; employee assistance programme; discounted gym/health club membership


• Lifestyle - transportation assistance schemes (e.g., cycle to work, travel loans, car leasing); onsite catering/lunch vouchers; retail discounts


• Spotlight – our global recognition programme provides a platform to highlight and recognise people role modelling our values

Ready to Make Amazing Happen?

Join c. 9,000 colleagues and help us shape the future of our industry. Whoever you are, wherever you are — it all starts here.

Apply now and make RS a part of your journey.

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