Halfords

About Us

At Halfords, our mission is to inspire and support a lifetime of motoring and cycling. As a specialist retailer, we lead the market through customer-driven innovation and a distinct product range. We are dedicated to providing our customers with an integrated, unique, and convenient service experience—from e-bike and electric vehicle servicing to on-demand solutions. Our commitment is to foster customer loyalty by offering compelling reasons to keep coming back to our stores, ensuring a lifetime of motoring and cycling enjoyment.

The teams at our Redditch Support Centre work with every other area of our business, putting them at the heart of the action and playing a key role in our success and growth. Everyone brings their individual knowledge and experience to work every day, working as one team to keep things moving smoothly.

If you’re willing to  get stuck in, you’ll love it here too. So put yourself at the heart of a dynamic, fast-paced working environment where expertise and focus take people far.

About the role

Halfords Autocentres are on a strong growth trajectory, with ambitions to be a £1bn business in 3 years. This role is vital to the delivery of the category strategy. The Category Manager will be expected to become an expert within their area, working closely with key stakeholders to fully execute the category plan and driving profitable growth.

You will be responsible for maximising Gross Margin within a defined group of products or categories, using all levers available to increase sales and margin, alongside supporting development of category strategy to drive future competitive advantage and growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Keep the customer at the heart of every decision. Work closely with Marketing and Customer teams to analyse market trends, track competitors, and uncover opportunities that drive both sales and profit.
• Develop and deliver compelling category plans, making smart choices around brand selection, product mix, and range reviews to ensure a competitive and high-quality offer.
• Own the pricing strategy, balancing value and profitability. Optimise gross margins through effective benchmarking and deliver stand-out promotional campaigns that land with impact.
• Identify and launch innovative new products that meet customer needs. Negotiate robust supplier agreements and ensure all activity aligns with ESG, CSR, and ethical trading standards.
• Drive profitability through smart cost and procurement strategies. Benchmark prices, manage rebate agreements, and optimise overall spend to strengthen the bottom line.
• Set clear supplier service expectations and hold them accountable. Tackle performance issues swiftly, implement effective trading agreements, and ensure consistent delivery of quality and value.

About you

• You bring proven experience in Category Management or Buying, with a deep understanding of commercial strategy.
• Customer-obsessed, with a strong instinct for identifying and responding to evolving customer needs.
• A confident negotiator, experienced in managing complex, high-value supplier relationships and securing the best outcomes.
• A natural leader, with a track record of motivating and developing high-performing teams.
• Comfortable influencing at all levels, you’re able to build credibility with the Leadership Team and beyond.
• Sharp analytical skills – you thrive on translating large data sets into actionable insights and strategic decisions.
• A true collaborator, with excellent stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to bring others with you on the journey.

Not sure you meet all the criteria? We'd encourage you to take the wheel and apply anyway! At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for our colleagues. We're an equal opportunities employer and proud to welcome applications from all backgrounds and embrace diversity within our one Halfords Family.

At Halfords, we operate a hybrid working policy with 3 days per week on-site at our support centre in Redditch Worcestershire.