Head of Category

Apply now Job no: 562606
Work type: Full time
Site: Redditch
Categories: Central Support
Location: Worcestershire

At Halfords, our mission is to keep the nation moving through the inspiration and support of a lifetime of motoring and cycling. As a specialist retailer, we lead the market through customer-driven innovation and a distinctive product range. We are committed to providing customers with an integrated and convenient experience across retail, autocentres and digital services.

Halfords is evolving its commercial function into a true category management model fully aligned to our retail strategy and long-term growth ambitions. As part of a significant transformation programme, we are investing in new leadership roles, new ways of working and stronger data-led decision-making across our category teams.

This change represents a fundamental shift in how we drive performance, balance short-term trading with a long-term strategy and build market-leading propositions across our categories. It is a genuinely exciting time to join Halfords Commercial, with the opportunity to shape the future direction of the business and make a visible, lasting impact. A true legacy-making opportunity.

The Head of Category is a pivotal, newly created leadership role within our Commercial function. You will own the strategic direction, performance and development of a major category, leading your team to deliver sustainable growth, improved profitability and competitive advantage across all channels.

Operating at a senior level, you will define Category strategy, set the commercial agenda and translate insight into action. You will balance trading performance with longer-term strategic objectives, ensuring Halfords builds differentiated customer-led propositions that perform in the market.

You will lead and develop a high-performing category team, working closely with senior stakeholders across e-commerce, marketing, supply chain, finance and operations to deliver shared goals.

• Own and deliver end-to-end category strategy, shaping range, sourcing, pricing and promotional direction across online and store channels
• Lead category performance, holding accountability for sales, margin and profitability targets
• Define and lead supplier strategy, building strong strategic partnerships that drive innovation, value and long-term growth
• Set and deliver annual category plans and budgets, ensuring performance is tracked and optimised against clear KPIs
• Use data, insight and market intelligence to inform decisions, identify opportunities and manage risk
• Drive range and proposition development, ensuring customer needs, market trends and own brand ambitions are fully embedded
• Lead ESG compliance and category-specific sustainability initiatives in line with wider business priorities
• Work cross-functionally to align category priorities with trading, supply chain, marketing and digital activity
• Develop, coach and inspire your team, building capability and succession within the category function

• Highly experienced category leader from retail, trade, wholesale or adjacent environments with significant category management and buying leadership experience
• Strong background in complex, multi-channel commercial environments with experience operating at pace and managing complexity
• A confident, commercially astute leader with a track record of delivering category growth and profitability
• Highly skilled in negotiation and supplier management with experience of global sourcing and brand development
• Data-led and analytically strong, able to translate insight into clear strategic action
• A collaborative leader who can influence at a senior level and bring cross-functional teams together
• Comfortable setting strategy as well as rolling sleeves up to deliver execution
• Proven ability to grow and develop a high-performing team, balancing coaching, mentoring, and constructive challenge to build capability and drive results

• A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, plus car allowance and an annual discretionary bonus
• Pension, life assurance, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays…