Halfords

About us

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.

About the role

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.

Key responsibilities

• 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

About You

• 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

Reward and Benefits

• 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 and enhanced family leave
• Commitment to your ongoing personal and professional development, supporting you to perform at your best and progress your career at Halfords
• Hybrid working based at our Support Centre, with three days a week on site and two days working from home
• Access to a wide range of colleague discounts across the Halfords product and service portfolio
• Well-being and inclusion at the heart of our colleague experience, with access to support resources and active colleague networks across the business

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 on site at our Support Centre in Redditch, Worcestershire.