Category Manager Designate - FTC
| Posting date: | 19 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Competitive |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 18 June 2026 |
| Location: | Equity House, Irthlingborough Road, Wellingborough,, NN8 1LT |
| Company: | Booker Group |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 30634 |
Summary
Reporting to: Category Manager Based: Wellingborough / Watford
Job Summary
Play a key role in shaping our product categories, delighting customers, and driving cash profit - all 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.- 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.
- Following our Business Code of Conduct and always acting with integrity and due diligence championing diversity and inclusion.
Operational skills relevant for this job
- 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 relevant for this job:
- Understanding of Buying