Category Manager for Hand Tools, Tool Storage and Welding Products for Cromwell Group Ltd.This role is responsible for developing and managing a product portfolio to drive sales and profitable growth - using market intelligence and industry knowledge to ensure we have the best products to service our customers.

Category Manager for Fasteners, Adhesives, Tapes & Welding products for Cromwell Group Ltd.

Cromwell is Europe’s leading independent supplier of maintenance, repair and operations type products, offering the widest choice to all industries with 42 Branches in the UK and Overseas. Cromwell is part of the Grainger Group which is the largest supplier of MRO products in North America. Key responsibilities are to assist in the Category Management of Hand Tools and Precision equipment•Product portfolio management of national brands and exclusive brands•Product lifecycle management.•Category range reviews•Liaise with UK and Overseas suppliers•Product selection and product line extension identification & launch of new product codes•Catalogue content, marketing promotions and product merchandising

Purpose: Cromwell is Europe’s leading independent supplier of maintenance, repair and operations type products, offering the widest choice to all industries, professions and tradesWorking within the Information Centre Department responsible for pricing and product information for the group.Key responsibilities are to support the business by creating and maintaining the product details held within the business system, and be responsible for the full life cycle of products, from initial product coding and pricing to product obsolescence.•Working in excel on hundreds of supplier price files ensuring pricing is inputted onto the company business system and ensuring discounts structures are in place.•Updating and corrective maintenance of all product details, such as pricing, discount structures, supplier parts, descriptions for UK and overseas •Analysing huge data files in excel. Running reports in SQL•Liaising with UK and overseas suppliers & group companies to ensure accurate & timely price updates •The calculation of prices based on currency exchange rates, freight & duty

Purpose: Lloyd’s pharmacy is a leading community pharmacy and healthcare provider with over 1,650 stores across the UK. Working within the Category Trading Department. Responsible for the category management of the following product categories, Hair care products which includes Shampoos’ & Conditioners, Styling, and Colourants, Mass market cosmetics, and accessories ensuring continuous delivery of key KPIs of margin, sales, promotions, supplier income and stock.Key Responsibilities:• Managing Performance to achieve business targets in line with agreed budgets.• Product selection, sourcing strategy and range rationalisation• Prepare weekly / Monthly reports for the company’s sales meetings.• Supplier Management and product Management• Creating monthly promotions,

Purpose: Managing the Business to Business sales team with a £6.7m turnover. Overseeing a team of 6 employees to ensure sales targets and KPI`s are achieved. In addition, I was seconded within the trading department as a Digital Camera Buyer overseeing a £42m turnover category.Key Responsibilities:• Managing Performance to achieve business targets in line with agreed budgets• Account managing top ten business accounts.• Ensuring team have clear targets and are trained with the skills to achieve them• Prepare weekly / Monthly reports for the company’s sales meetings• Raising purchase orders.

Cecil Jacobs was the largest Independent Photographic retailer in the UK with 19 stores nationwide, a website and business to business department. I was one of two senior buyers within Jacobs. I had full commercial responsibility and accountability for the following product categories Camcorder,Printers, Scanners, Photographic accessories including Bags and cases overseeing six thousand product lines

Jessops Groups was the largest photographic retailer in the UK with 211 stores nationwide and websites. I was one of three Category Managers within Jessops. I had full commercial responsibility and accountability for Camcorders, Memory cards Printers and Scannerskey ResponsibilitiesManaging a substantial purchasing budgetCategory managing above product areasProviding information on my product areas to stores network and internal departmentsNegotiating promotional support from suppliers for key sales periods co-ordinating marketing ,advertising and store execution to maximize sales.Contributing to weekly sales and promotional planning meetings and presenting product ranges to Directors.Planned forecasting and negotiating with suppliers.Creating store planogramsSecuring funding from suppliers for national advertising and catalogue advertsProvide content and proof checking Jessops catalogues, producing four catalogues a year and creating training packs for storesAnalysing competitor pricing, maintaining price comparisons ensuring we remain competitively price at all times

key ResponsibilitiesStock management ensuring the stock was at the correct stores to achieve sales targets and making sure stores had enough stock to merchandise the cabinets and window displays.Raising purchase orders.Chasing back orders.Providing catalogue content, proof checking content for national adverts and point of sale material.Creating display planograms.Coding new products onto computer system.Inputting supplier price listsRaising supplier pricing claims.

Key ResponsibilitiesResolving customer queries and complaints.Liaising with repair agents,customers and internal departments.Letter writing.Stock control.Repair evaluations.Office administrations.