Joybuy
Pan EU Senior Category Manager – Book
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Who We Are
Joybuy is JD.com’s dedicated retail platform for Europe, offering products across a wide range of categories. Operating across the UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, we’re building the future of retail through smart systems, bold ideas, and a customer-first mindset. Backed by JD.com, also known as JINGDONG, and its trusted global technology and supply chain ecosystem, we deliver a shopping experience that is speedy, reliable, and genuinely enjoyable. If you’re ready to make a difference, bring your talent and grow with us. Don’t just buy, Joybuy.
Learn more about who we are and what we do: https://www.joybuy.co.uk/discover/about-us
About The Team
You’ll be joining the Joybuy team, which values collaboration, ownership, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
What You'll Do
- Contribute to defining the annual and mid-to-long-term business strategy for the Book category across Europe, and take primary ownership for driving execution across sales revenue, gross margin, inventory health, and net profit across multiple countries, while aligning operational rhythms with key publishing seasons.
- Lead in-depth analysis of consumer trends and competitive dynamics in core markets (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain), and develop country-specific assortment and pricing tactics that comply with local regulations (e.g., fixed book price laws) while responding to local reading preferences.
- Drive top-level commercial negotiations with major international publishing groups and independent local publishers, secure exclusive editions, signed copies, and other scarce content, and coordinate rights cycles to ensure timely digital releases (e-books, audiobooks).
- Ensure all products fully comply with EU publishing laws, pricing regulations, and content censorship rules; oversee cross-border customs and VAT compliance (including UK zero-rate vs. EU standard rates), and monitor the impact of the Digital Services Act on content display.
- Partner with supply chain teams to accurately forecast inventory for new title launches and promotional events, optimize cross-border logistics costs by balancing air freight speed and sea freight economics, and manage the unique challenges of low-unit-price, heavy physical books.
- Collaborate with marketing to plan themed book lists, author livestreams, and reader community activities; enhance product detail pages with localized copy and A+ content, and work with tech teams to improve recommendation algorithms for series-based cross-sell conversion.
- Build, mentor, and develop a multicultural category team, establish efficient selection-review processes and talent development mechanisms, and coordinate with operations and tech teams to refine search, recommendation, and personalization features.
- Conduct regular business reviews covering book-specific metrics (return rates, sample-read conversion, etc.), identify emerging trends (e.g., podcast recommendations, BookTok), and pivot execution plans promptly to drive sustainable growth and brand equity.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
About You
- Bachelor’s degree or above in Marketing, International Trade, Business Administration, Literature, Publishing, or a related field; MBA preferred.
- Minimum 8 years of experience in category management, marketing, or e-commerce within consumer goods, media, or publishing, with at least 3 years in a team leadership role specifically for books or related content products.
- Deep understanding of European book retail markets, familiarity with BISAC or Thema subject classification standards, and strong awareness of cultural nuances and reading preferences across different European countries.
- Solid knowledge of book supply chain dynamics (including print-on-demand, returns/destruction, inventory turnover optimization) and proven ability to lead supplier framework agreements with annual procurement values exceeding €10 million.
- Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel/BI tools to analyse sales attribution, cross-category affinity, and conversion funnels; ability to drive data-based assortment and traffic strategies.
- Proven experience managing book categories on cross-border e-commerce platforms (e.g., Amazon, Zalando) is highly preferred, with a good grasp of cross-border B2C operational models.
- Owner-mindset with resilience in a fast-paced, cross-border environment; excellent cross-cultural communication and team-influencing skills.
- Fluent in English (working language); proficiency in German, French, Spanish, or Italian is a plus. A strong personal vision for the future integration of print and digital reading is highly valued.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
What We Offer
Joining Joybuy means becoming part of a business where people, innovation, and impact work together to shape the future of cross-border e-commerce. You’ll contribute to smart supply chains, efficient logistics, and meaningful projects that drive real customer value. With a competitive salary, great office locations, and a supportive, people-first culture, you’ll have the space to grow your career, learn from talented colleagues, and make a genuine impact in a fast-expanding international business.
At Joybuy, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Ready to apply?
Take the next step in your career, apply now and explore the opportunities we have to offer.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location