Senior Category Manager

• Lead the strategy and vision for a group of categories, making sure there’s alignment across the wider Customer Development team
• Deliver category plans that are customer-focused, commercially sound, and operationally achievable
• Own the financial delivery of your categories, contributing to the overall Food business P&L (profit and loss) 
• Manage and develop a team of Category Managers and Assistants (around 5 to 6 colleagues)
• Work closely with key partners across Co-op Brand, Price & Promotions, Range & Format, and our Operations teams
• Make sure that critical paths are followed, and that promotional/range events are delivered on time
• Champion collaboration across functions to bring people with you and drive change

• We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:
• Strong people leadership and management experience
• A background in retail, FMCG, or customer-focused category roles (supplier or sales side welcome)
• A broad commercial skillset and experience managing complex partner relationships
• A passion for understanding customer behaviour and translating insight into action
• Experience in category management, buying, or account management roles
• The ability to work in detail while keeping sight of the bigger picture

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
• Private healthcare
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ) 
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
• 24/7 colleague support service 
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion.