Senior Category Buyer

Apply now Job no: 562643
Work type: Full time
Site: Redditch
Categories: Buying
Location: Worcestershire
Salary: Competitive
Business Area: Halfords Support Centre

We’re evolving our Commercial team into a dynamic Category Management model that’s fully aligned with our Retail strategy. This transformation creates a future‑ready function that blends strategic insight, customer focus, and stronger cross‑functional collaboration. Our approach empowers teams, sparks innovation, and drives data‑led decisions that deliver sustainable growth.

To bring this vision to life, we’re investing in our people – expanding capacity and nurturing talent across our Category teams. It’s an exciting time to join Halfords, where you’ll discover exceptional development opportunities and have the chance to make an immediate, meaningful impact. If you’re ready to help lead the way in an ever‑evolving retail landscape, we’d love to hear from you.

As a Senior Category Buyer, you’ll own and lead a high‑value or strategically complex category, setting the direction for sourcing and procurement activities that underpin our commercial and strategic ambitions. You will be trusted to make significant decisions that drive category growth, profitability, and long‑term competitive advantage.

Partnering closely with the Head of Category, you’ll influence and shape the category strategy, create market‑leading ranges and guide long‑term planning. You’ll take the lead in managing high‑impact supplier relationships, across UK brands and global partners – ensuring our sourcing activity sets the benchmark for cost, quality, innovation, and sustainability.

This role is ideal for a commercially sharp, forward‑thinking senior professional who thrives on complexity, excels in strategic leadership, and is ready to play a pivotal role in Halfords’ commercial transformation.

• Lead the development and delivery of sourcing strategies for a complex or high‑value category, driving long‑term commercial success and competitive advantage.
• Build and manage influential, senior‑level supplier relationships that unlock innovation, cost efficiency, and partnership‑led growth.
• Deliver substantial sourcing and profitability improvements through negotiation excellence, strategic supplier engagement, and rigorous commercial challenge.
• Identify new global sourcing opportunities and scalable supply solutions, proactively shaping the future direction of the category.
• Use advanced data and performance insight to inform strategic decisions, influence cross‑functional priorities, and elevate long‑term category results.
• Lead category‑specific ESG plans, ensuring sustainability, compliance, and responsible sourcing are embedded within all supplier partnerships.
• Drive high‑level cross‑functional collaboration with eCommerce, Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, and Finance to deliver category ambitions at pace.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and development to Category Buyers and Assistant Category Buyers, raising capability and building a high‑performing team culture.
• Champion cost‑of‑goods improvements through continuous market review, tendering, supplier optimisation, and strategic profitability modelling.
• Guide the development of a market‑leading own brand proposition, driving innovation, quality, and value while supporting the delivery of ambitious commercial targets.

• A highly experienced retail professional with substantial Buying or Category Management responsibility, ideally gained in large, multi‑channel retail environments.
• A confident and influential negotiator with a track record of securing high‑impact commercial outcomes, managing complex supplier portfolios, and delivering significant procurement benefits.
• Skilled in global sourcing, own‑brand development, and managing diverse supply chains across multiple geographies.
• A strategic and analytical thinker who leverages data, market insight, and performance trends to shape long‑term commercial direction.
• Commercially strong, resilient, and capable of managing complexity while delivering at pace in a fast‑moving environment.
• A proven leader who inspires teams, elevates…