Category Controller

About the role

We’re searching for an experienced Category Controller to lead the category team in maintaining excellent supplier relationships, developing effective category strategies and gaining competitive edge in the marketplace. Using your strong leadership skills, you’ll strive to deliver operational excellence by finding new ways to continuously improve and maximise efficiency.

About Bestway

Bestway Group is a diversified multinational family owned business with annualised turnover in excess of £4.5 billion.  Starting off as a chain of retail convenience stores, the Group has grown to become a diversified multinational business with interests across the wholesale, pharmacy, real estate, cement and banking sectors.  The Group is also the largest overseas investor in Pakistan. 

Owned by the Pervez, Choudrey and Sheikh families, Bestway Group was founded in 1976 by Sir Anwar Pervez OBE H Pk, who remains Chairman.  Serving over 12 million customers and employing over 28,000 individuals, the Group supports and serves communities through its operations across the UK, Pakistan and the Middle East

Responsibilities:

• Providing excellent service to our customers through customer-centric ranges, price integrity & value, quality assurance and reviewing NPS data.
• Delivering financial targets through P&L ownership, budget management and the execution of effective sales strategies.
• Creating a supportive team culture to lead and develop the team of Category Managers and Category Assistants.
• Effectively leveraging the business’ position in the market to maintain strong supplier relationships and drive performance.
• Ensuring operational excellence through supply chain oversight, wastage control and ensuring compliance & food safety.
• Collaborating with the Finance team to ensure we have the commercial insights required to maximise margin and profitability.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Proven track record leading a Trading team with Trading functional accountability working with and effectively influencing senior stakeholders, in a complex and multi-functional operating environment, where there are competing priorities
• Significant experience in a senior commercial, buying, or trading role within the food retail or FMCG sector.
• Proven ability to negotiate high-impact deals on costing and margin.
• Strong skills in data interpretation to inform decisions.
• Experience in managing and developing teams.
• A deep understanding of merchandising, profitability, and supply chain management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. 
• Demonstrable strategic thinking ability with experience of being solely accountable for developing and delivering business step change in a Trading environment

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Pension
• 22 days annual leave plus the option to buy additional days
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical
• Onsite parking

We understand that no applicant ever ticks every box so please do consider applying should some or most of the above apply.  Bestway Group is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion. We welcome people of different nationalities, backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We want strong, and diverse teams built from talented individuals with different backgrounds identities and experiences.

If this is of interest to you and you would like to learn more, please do get in touch, we are looking forward to hearing from you.