Junior Category Manager

Job Description

Due to a retirement in the business, here at AIS, we have an exciting opportunity available for a Junior Category Manager to join our Home team based in Solihull. There is a degree of flexibility on start date, with a view to commencing in post October 2022 onwards. You will join us on a full-time, permanent basis, and in return, you will receive a competitive salary depending on experience.AIS is the largest nonfood buying group of its kind in the UK, with a membership of 300 independent department stores and specialist retailers. The business is now entering an exciting time of change, with a new Managing Director at thehelm and a transformational agenda to bring a more commercial and customer-focused approach to this well-established and successful membership organisation.As our Junior Category Manager you will work to the AIS and divisional product strategy to achieve a leading edge, commercial, sustainable, and profitable product offer. Working collaboratively living the company values, working as oneteam.Key responsibilities as our Junior Category Manager:

• Work closely with the Category Manager and take ownership of designated product areas.
• Contribute and work cross functionally to the overall division strategy by participating in product, brand and sales reviews with the senior team Propose and execute plans to drive sales and Cenpac revenue across the membership, focussing on initiativesthat drive the best return
• Demonstrate commercial awareness and product expertise through sourcing new products, brands and suppliers. Utilise industry resources (shows, industry news etc) to ensure we are leading edge in industry developments and trends.
• Work with the Category Manager to contribution to the management of the P & Ls, have a general awareness of its principles and make decisions to maximise sales and minimise costs.
• Develop commercial, seasonal Own Brand, Brand and exclusive ranges. Using trade insight, create optimum good, better and best range construction to deliver commercial and profitable ranges, working to category budgets, commercial margins and critical path.Communicatethe product proposition positively to the members.
• Make informed decisions, trend, market data, member feedback, industry press and trade shows, sales data, competitor landscape. Share insights within the internal product teams and to the member audience where applicable.
• In conjunction with the Category Manager provide a high standard of customer service by making regular Member calls or visits to build relationships, ensuring clear objectives are in place, understand target customer, review turnover, discuss rebate targets,store presentation, and recommend new brands and ranges.
• Visit Member stores in line with the travel budget and in liaison with other divisions. Setting clear objectives and reporting on actions and findings.

What were looking for in our Junior Category Manager:

• Exceptional commercial eye for product
• Strong commercial awareness of Homewares product category and the overall market.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate verbally and in writing at all levels
• Creative thinker, with the ability to think outside the box.
• Fresh thinker and generates ideas with a can do attitude
• Exceptional negotiator and has strong influencing skills
• Computer literacy including competence in Excel, PowerPoint and Word
• Able to consistently produce accurate work to a high standard

If you feel you have the skills and experience needed to become the Junior Category Manager at AIS, then please click apply today! Wed love to hear from you.