Senior Commercial Manager

The Role:
Reporting to the Head of Commercial & Marketing, you will be responsible for making informed commercial decisions across a large and varied product range.
You will continually review whether we offer the right products, brands, quality and price points for schools. This will include identifying gaps in our ranges, introducing new products and suppliers, reviewing product performance and recommending where lines should be expanded, re-sourced, promoted, cleared or discontinued.
Supplier management will be a major part of the role. You will build strong relationships, negotiate improved costs and terms, challenge supplier performance and hold regular reviews covering pricing, stock, forecasts, availability, forward orders and new-product opportunities.
You will also maintain product forecasts and purchase orders, helping to ensure key lines remain available while managing excess stock and working-capital risk.
Key Responsibilities:
Manage and develop a broad portfolio of sports and product categories.
Ensure our ranges offer the right products, brands, quality levels and price points for schools.
Review sales and product performance, identifying lines to introduce, expand, re-source, promote, clear or discontinue.
Identify gaps in our range and explore new suppliers, brands, own-brand products and exclusive opportunities.
Build strong supplier relationships and hold regular, commercially focused supplier reviews.
Negotiate improved costs, terms, rebates, delivery arrangements and supplier support.
Challenge suppliers where pricing, quality, availability, lead times or service do not meet expectations.
Maintain product forecasts and place purchase orders based on demand, seasonality, stock requirements and supplier lead times.
Review forward orders and take action on potential stockouts, excess stock, delivery delays and availability risks.
Review costs, selling prices and margins to ensure products remain competitive and commercially viable.
Monitor competitor ranges, prices, promotions and new products to identify opportunities for commercial action.
Keep up to date with developments in school sport, customer requirements, market trends and emerging activities.
Ensure product information, pricing, images and specifications are accurate and ready for the website, catalogues and campaigns.
Work closely with suppliers, marketing, design and other internal teams to ensure agreed actions and deadlines are achieved.
You will be passionate about sport and committed to making a positive difference to PE in schools. You will be commercially minded, confident with suppliers and comfortable making decisions across a large and varied product portfolio.
You will be proactive, organised and prepared to challenge products, prices, suppliers and existing ways of working. You will be able to turn sales, stock, supplier and competitor information into clear commercial actions.
You will ideally have:
Experience in buying, category management, product management or a similar commercial role.
Strong supplier-management and negotiation experience.
Experience in forecasting, purchase ordering and stock management.
A good understanding of pricing, margins and commercial performance.
Experience developing product ranges and identifying new opportunities.
Strong analytical skills and confidence working with sales, stock and market data.
Excellent communication, organisation and attention to detail.
The confidence to work independently and take ownership of decisions.
Experience working with product information or PIM systems.
Desirable Experience
Experience of working in, or closely with, schools, education, PE or the sports-equipment market would be a real advantage. An understanding of how schools plan and purchase, and what teachers need from their suppliers, would help you make an immediate impact.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
No