PRODUCT DEVELOPER - CATEGORY MANAGER - BEDDING / TOWELS
MANCHESTER
£45K
4 DAYS HEAD OFFICE BASED
Our client a global British Heritage home textiles brand selling high street retailers and Direct to Customer are now looking to recruit an experienced Category Manager / Product Developer with a technical and sourcing background to join their team. The role will be supervising 2/3 members of the team so leadership skills are essential as well as having a background in bedding /home textiles, sourcing / merchandising, building ranges, good technical knowledge of textiles yarns and working with high street retailers such a s Marks & Spencers, John Lewis, Harrods and many others.
Key Responsibilities:
Category Growth & Strategy
• Lead the development and expansion of the brands bed linen, filled, and top-of-bed collections, ensuring alignment with brand positioning and market trends.
• Identify growth opportunities through market research, consumer insights, and competitor benchmarking.
Product Development & Innovation
• Oversee the end-to-end product lifecycle from ideation to launch, ensuring a customer-centric approach.
• Collaborate with design and sourcing teams to develop premium, innovative, and commercially viable collections.
• Ensure alignment with seasonal trends, sustainability initiatives, and brand aesthetics.
Pricing & Margin Management
• Define and implement pricing architecture that balances commercial viability with premium quality positioning.
• Own intake margins and drive cost efficiencies (lower cogs) without compromising product excellence.
Supply Chain & Vendor Management
• Build and manage relationships with European and Far East suppliers, optimizing sourcing strategies for quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Work closely with sourcing, operations, and quality teams to ensure seamless production and timely deliveries.
Custom & Exclusive Ranges
• Develop bespoke and made-to-order collections for key retail and B2B partners with retailers such as Marks & Spencers, John Lewis, Harrods etc
• Tailor products to meet client specifications while maintaining brand integrity and commercial success.
Sales & Merchandising Suppor t
• Partner with sales and marketing teams to drive sell-through and ensure effective presentation of collections.
• Support B2B client meetings, trade shows, and internal product training to strengthen market positioning.
Key Skills, Experience & KPIs:
• 7 years of experience in product/category management, merchandising, or buying, within home textiles, luxury bedding, or lifestyle brands and technical textiles knowledge
• Proven track record of driving category growth and improving gross margins =
• Experience in managing an assortment of £10 revenue across multiple product categories.
• Strong understanding of consumer trends, retail dynamics, and international sourcing.
• Ability to reduce cost of goods sold (COGS) by 2-3% through strategic sourcing and supplier negotiations.
• Experience in launching new SKUs per year, ensuring alignment with sales and brand strategy.
• Excellent commercial acumen and analytical skills to drive category profitability.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with design, sales, sourcing, and marketing teams.
• Strong presentation and communication skills for B2B client interactions.
Why Join Us?
• Be part of a heritage British brand with a premium positioning in the home textiles market.
• Opportunity to shape category strategy and drive innovation in a key product segment.
• Work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with global market exposure.
£45k
4 days a week in Stockport head offices