Category Manager - Days Out

Moonpig

  • London
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 5 days ago
Buyagift and Red Letter Days are the UK's leading gift experience provider. We're all about turning special moments into extra-special memories. With a gifting range of 4000+ experiences from spa days and skydives to gourmet treats and once-in-a-lifetime adventures, we make it easy to give the gift of wow. 🎁As part of the Moonpig Group, we're proud to share that our vision is to become the most trusted platform in the UK gift experience market. Our mission is to spread happiness through thoughtful, joy-filled experiences. People are at the heart of everything we do. Since joining the Moonpig Group in 2022, we've been powered by strong values, bold ideas and a shared passion for making a real difference. Here, you'll have the chance to shape the kind of experiences people never forget - and help us build connections that truly matter.📍Central London (Hybrid - 2 days per week in office) | 💰Competitive Salary + Benefits | 📅 Fixed Term - 12 Months (Maternity Cover)About the roleWe are looking for a commercially sharp and strategically minded Category Manager - Days Out to lead our Days Out, Driving & Thrillseekers categories at Buyagift and Red Letter Days. This is a pivotal role within the Buying team, where you will take full ownership of your categories - shaping and executing strategy, building strong partner relationships, and driving sustainable growth.You will focus on proactive category and partner management - identifying opportunities, optimising performance, and delivering innovation that excites our customers and drives commercial results. With operational and onboarding tasks supported by dedicated teams, this role gives you the space to do what you do best: own and grow your categories.This is a hybrid working role with 2 days per week in our Central London office.Key Responsibilities:
  • Category Strategy & Growth:
  • Define and own the category strategy for Days Out, Driving & Thrillseekers - setting direction for range development, pricing, partner mix, and growth.
  • Conduct market and trend analysis to identify opportunities, gaps, and innovations that will keep our ranges fresh, relevant, and competitive.
  • Create actionable plans and briefing documents to deliver strategy, aligning with internal teams to drive commercial results.
  • Partner Management:
  • Build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with key partners - positioning yourself as a trusted commercial asset.
  • Secure the best commercial terms, including cost prices, commission rates, exclusivity, and value-add propositions.
  • Collaborate with partners on new product development and innovation.
  • Hold structured, outcome-driven partner meetings and quarterly business reviews to deliver joint growth plans.
  • Range Management & Campaign Planning:
  • Lead seasonal range selection, campaign planning, and product innovation in collaboration with Marketing and Trading.
  • Regularly review category performance to optimise sales, margin, and customer engagement.
  • Address underperforming products and ensure product pages are optimised for conversion.
  • Own new product launches within your category, briefing Marketing and overseeing the process end-to-end.
  • Leadership & Collaboration:
  • Line manage and develop direct reports, providing coaching, feedback, and clear direction.
  • Champion a culture of commerciality, problem-solving, and innovation within the Buying team.
  • Deputise for the Head of Buying when required, modelling leadership behaviours.
About You:
  • Proven experience in category management, buying, or commercial partnerships, ideally within leisure, gifting, or retail.
  • Strong track record in developing and executing category strategies that drive sales, margin, and customer growth.
  • Exceptional negotiation and influencing skills with experience securing market-leading terms.
  • Commercially astute with strong analytical skills - confident using data to create insight-led action plans.
  • Creative and proactive, with the ability to identify trends and turn them into commercial opportunities.
  • Experience managing and developing others in a collaborative, supportive style.
  • Emotionally intelligent and adaptable, with excellent communication skills.
  • Highly organised, tenacious, and comfortable managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • A passion for the leisure industry and delivering customer delight.
Interview Process:
  • Stage 1: Recruiter Screen - 30 mins
  • Stage 2: Hiring Manager Interview - 1 hour
  • Stage 3: Task/Brief Interview (if required) - 1 hour
  • Offer! 🎉
Please note: Our interview process may vary depending on the specific role, hiring team availability, or other business needs. We aim to keep candidates informed of any changes throughout the process.What's in it for you?We believe in empowering our team to do their best work. Enjoy:💸 Competitive Pay & Bonuses: Plus generous pension plans, staff discounts, and share schemes.💆🏾‍♀️ Wellbeing First: Private healthcare (UK), dental, life insurance, mental health support, and dog-friendly offices.🏖️ Flexible Working & Time Off: Generous holidays, hybrid working (unless specified otherwise, 2 days a week in the office), and opportunities for international working.📈 Career Growth: Learning allowances, coaching, and development programs.🤝 Recognition & Giving Back: Regular awards, charity support, length of service awards, and volunteering days.Want to see more?Check out our Linked In pages below:Our Ways of Working:We trust you to do what's right, providing flexibility to balance work and life. We believe in giving you permission to innovate and focus on delivering meaningful results. We understand that effective ways of working are unique to each individual, role, and team, and we're committed to supporting and discussing your specific needs throughout the interview process and beyond. Unless specified otherwise, most of our team works from the London office 2 days per week as part of our hybrid approach.Moonpig Group's Commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity:At Moonpig Group, we're all about creating a workplace where everyone feels they truly belong. We celebrate what makes each of us unique, whether that's our background, how we work best, or what matters most to us.From working parents who need flexible hours to neurodiverse colleagues with specific working styles, we're here to support our people in ways that work for them. Because when you feel valued and included, you can thrive, and so can we.We're proud to have a number of employee-led groups driving this forward, including our LGBTQ+, Gender Balance, Neurodiversity and EMBRACE (Educating Myself for Better Racial Awareness and Cultural Enrichment) communities, plus our Group-wide EDI committee. These teams help make sure every voice is heard and every idea has a place.We know that diversity fuels creativity, innovation and connection, and that's why we'll keep pushing for progress. Together, we're building a culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and free to be their brilliant, authentic selves.If you have a preferred name, please use it to apply and share your pronouns if you are comfortable to do so😊 - If you have any reasonable adjustment requests throughout the interview process please let us know on your application or speak to the Recruiter.

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