Job Title: Category Controller (Hand Tools)
Location: Harlow (Office-Based Role)
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports To: Head of Core Categories / Commercial Manager
This isn’t your standard buying role. We’re not here to offer just another procurement job where you tick boxes or just press buttons – you’re making the calls that drive sales – fast.
At ITS, buying means having commercial instincts, understanding the market and being ahead of the competition to exceed brand and margin targets.
Alongside negotiating keen cost prices with suppliers, you’ll be shaping product ranges, setting sell-out prices, and planning weekly promotional activity that keeps us ahead of the competition both online and in-store.
An understanding of hand tools and their applications is essential – our customers rely on us to get the right product in their hands, and we need buyers who know the difference between a claw hammer and a club hammer, and why it matters.
We’re a fast-paced, close-knit, ideas-driven team where the right personality in the office matters just as much as the experience.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE

• Experience in buying, selling, or a similar commercial role
• Background or knowledge in the tools or hardware industry
• Practical knowledge or hands-on experience specific to hand tools

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships
• Negotiate, influence and deliver results
• Monitor market trends and competitor activity
• Collaborate with the wider team to shape product categories
• Monitor category performance and forecast
• Work cross-functionally with internal teams particularly the marketing department
• Plan and execute promotional activity across the website and in stores

WHAT THE ROLE INVOLVES

• Regular use of spreadsheets, pivot tables, and data to make informed commercial decisions
• Switching between team projects and solo work to meet deadlines
• Staying organised and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Commercial awareness with a deep understanding of the target market and market pricing
• Primarily desk-based with use of Microsoft Office (especially Excel) and other internal software for analysis, pricing, and reporting