Buying Manager

About the role

Buying Manager

Permanent

Up to £75,000+ Bonus + Pension + Car + PMI + ShareSave + 6.6 weeks holiday + Hybrid Working

Southampton, Store Support Office

The products on our shelves start with your decisions.

Every day, millions of customers trust B&Q to improve, repair and transform their homes. As a Buying Manager, you'll decide what they discover next—shaping category strategy, influencing investment and bringing market-leading ranges to life.

This is your opportunity to shape significant categories, bring innovative products to market, work with industry-leading suppliers and influence what customers see in stores and online. Every decision you make will help customers create homes they can be proud of.

Why B&Q?

This is the kind of buying role where your decisions don't disappear into spreadsheets—they appear on shelves, online and in homes across the UK.

You'll own a significant category, balancing customer insight, market trends, supplier innovation and commercial performance to create compelling propositions that customers love and competitors notice.

You'll have the autonomy to make bold commercial decisions, backed by leaders who trust expertise, encourage challenge and value fresh thinking.

If you're motivated by ownership, pace and seeing the impact of your decisions at scale, you'll thrive here.

Why Now?

B&Q is investing in its future—transforming categories, strengthening supplier partnerships and evolving how customers shop across stores and digital channels.

It's an exciting time to join a business where Buying is central to growth and innovation, and where you'll have the opportunity to help shape what comes next.

Key responsibilities

🎯 Own the commercial strategy for your category, from vision through to execution

📈 Deliver sustainable sales growth, improved profitability and market-leading customer propositions

🤝 Build strategic supplier partnerships that unlock innovation, value and long-term growth

💷 Lead high-value negotiations with key suppliers to secure outstanding commercial outcomes

📊 Turn customer insight, market trends and data into commercial decisions that outperform competitors

🚀 Identify where B&Q can lead the market—anticipating trends, creating competitive advantage and delivering sustainable long-term growth

💡 Challenge established thinking and bring innovative products to market

👥 Influence senior stakeholders across Commercial, Supply Chain, Digital and Marketing functions

🌟 Build, coach and develop a high-performing buying team, creating future commercial leaders

You'll Be Successful In This Role If You Have

• Significant experience leading complex buying or category strategies within a retail or commercial environment
• Strong commercial judgement supported by customer insight and data-led decision making
• A proven track record of delivering sales growth, margin improvement and commercial performance
• Confidence influencing and negotiating at a senior level
• Experience developing high-performing teams and future talent
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery
• The confidence to challenge thinking, drive change and influence decisions across the wider business

Most importantly, you'll be someone who enjoys ownership, thrives on complexity and is motivated by turning strategy into measurable results.

Tools Category

incorporating power and hand tools, power tool accessories, tool storage, ladders, clothing and footwear, workshop and vacuums

Why Top Buyers Choose B&Q

✅ Ownership of a high-profile category

✅ Freedom to shape long-term category strategy

✅ The opportunity to influence senior commercial decision-making

✅ Exposure to industry-leading suppliers and brands

✅ The chance to see your ideas brought to life at scale

✅ Career opportunities across one of the UK's largest retail buying functions

✅ Hybrid working, colleague discount and competitive reward package

✅ The opportunity to leave your mark on a household name

Ready to Shape What's Next?

If you're ready to own meaningful categories, influence business strategy and see your decisions shape how customers improve their homes, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your commercial expertise, challenge the status quo and help shape the future of home improvement retail.

At B&Q, your ideas won't sit in presentations—they'll appear in stores, online and in homes across the UK.

Required skills & experience

..

What's in it for me?

At B&Q, we're building more than great homes – we're building great careers.

When you join us, you'll be part of a supportive, inclusive business where your ideas matter, your development is invested in, and your wellbeing is genuinely important.

Here's what you can expect

🏡 Flexible & Hybrid Working - Work in a way that helps you perform at your best, balancing business needs with personal commitments.

📈 Career Growth & Development - Access learning, development and career opportunities across one of the UK's leading retail organisations.

💰 Competitive Reward Package - A competitive salary, pension and a range of financial benefits.

🛒 Colleague Discounts - Enjoy discounts across B&Q and the wider Kingfisher Group.

❤️ Health & Wellbeing Support - Access wellbeing resources, health support and employee assistance programmes designed to help you thrive.

🌴 Time Away From Work - Generous holiday entitlement and family-friendly policies that support life both inside and outside work.

🤝 A Place Where You Belong - We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to be themselves.

🌍 Make a Difference - The work you do will have a direct impact on our customers, colleagues and business.

Eligibility To Work

Please note that B&Q does not currently offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application and throughout their employment.

Accessibility & Disability Confident

At B&Q, we're committed to creating an inclusive recruitment experience for everyone.

If you require any additional support or reasonable adjustments to help you complete your application or throughout the recruitment process, please let us know.

If you would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please contact us at recruitment@b-and-q.co.uk. If you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we'll consider your application in line with our Disability Confident commitments.

We want to ensure that all employees, future employees and applicants to all Kingfisher companies are treated equally regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

If you require any additional support or adjustments to help you make an application, please contact us at recruitment@b-and-q.co.uk.

Rewards & benefits

Discount card

The one we all love! Get 20% discount on your purchases at B&Q in-store and online, after you've been with us for 1 month.

Share schemes

Share in the success you help create. With our shareplans, from just £5 per month, you can build up a savings pot, or use what you save to be a Kingfisher share holder.

Life assurance

If the worst should happen, Life Assurance ensures those close to you have some protection.

Employee assistance programme

We offer free and confidential support and counselling to help you through matters such as wellbeing, divorce, legal, and financial management.

Salary/Bonus

We offer competitive salaries for all roles, and benchmark them, to ensure that we’re getting it right. And, as we value the contribution of all our colleagues equally, whether they are 17 or 70, our rates of pay for each job is the same.

Pension

You’ll have access to the award-winning Kingfisher Pension Scheme, and we’ll put money in alongside your savings too.

Medical

We have a number of medical benefits available depending on your role to help you and your family look after yourselves.

Leave

All work and no play is no fun! So, you can enjoy 6.6 weeks' leave, plus we'll reward you with additional leave and cash rewards to celebrate long service anniversaries and milestone years.

Flexible working

The chance to achieve more balance between work and your other commitments.

Shopping discounts

Take advantage of fantastic discounts on loads of products and services, just for being a B&Q colleague!

Gym discounts

We have a network of over 3,300 health clubs offering discounts to colleagues and their partners of up to 25% on self-paid gym memberships.

Eye care

If you use a computer regularly for work, then we pay for your eye test every two years. If you do require glasses, then you’ll also get £50/€70 towards single focal lenses and frames too.

Cycling to work scheme

Whether you are thinking green, trying to get fit or saving money, our cycle to work scheme helps colleagues spread the cost and save money on any bike and safety equipment through salary sacrifice.

Long service

Just like most families, we like to celebrate anniversaries and milestone years. For every 10 years up to 40 years’ service we give extra annual leave and a cash payment.

Training & development

Learn & Develop at B&Q

When you join B&Q, we want you to be all you can be. From the minute you walk through our doors to the exciting moment you make that next career move, we're here to help you make the most of every opportunity. Thanks to our friendly learning system, LEO, we make sure you always have the support you need to take on every challenge and fit your learning around your life. Here, we know that the best way to grow is together.

Flexible learning with Leo

LEO is your every day, on the go learning and development partner. Helping you build the knowledge you need now and in the future. With LEO, you can access training and content, anywhere, anytime and on any device. You can even influence the type of training on offer by rating and recommending content, and letting us know what we can do to improve. Award-winning and featuring over 500 different learning activities - like short videos, articles, workshops and webinars - think of LEO as your 24/7 training pal, designed to help you make the most of your B&Q career journey.

Developing in role

Learning never stops at B&Q. Whether you've been in your role for one day or five years, there's always something to be curious about. It's why we're always creating learning opportunities and experiences that'll give you the chance to develop your skills. Like our

First Line Manager programme

a course that helps our newest line managers build their confidence and management skills. Or our Leadership Development programme that challenges our more experienced leaders to reflect on and adapt their approach for our ever-evolving ways of working.

Building expertise and know-how

We believe anyone can learn the technical skills to do their job with excellence. It's all about attitude and behaviour here. So, if you're passionate about customer service and design, we'll teach you how to create beautiful kitchens. If you're someone who loves being outdoors, we'll help you learn about our garden ranges. And, if you're someone who just loves what we do but doesn't know where to start, we'll help you find the perfect role for you to grow into.

Accelerated Development Talent Programmes

Whatever goal you're working to at B&Q, we want to help you get there. We do this by designing a number of programmes which help you to practice your skills and learn new ones, gain valuable experiences, learn from others and jump on opportunities that are right for you. From leaders taking their first steps into management to those simply looking for a new challenge, we're there to make sure you achieve your ambitions.

Induction

At B&Q, we want every new colleague to understand our values, our customers, and how we work together to achieve our purpose. That’s why we’ve designed an induction programme that’ll give you real insight into our business, our culture and help you feel included from day one. For your first few weeks on the job you’ll work with your team and line manager, mixing online learning with practical tasks, to grow your knowledge a little every day.

Take a tour around our office

Our Store Support Office sits within B&Q House and supports our colleagues and stores right across the UK and Ireland. In our bespoke, modern and eco-friendly building just north of Southampton, you’ll find a friendly team of talented people in a huge range of roles.

Explore our store support office

Facilities

In B&Q house, you’ll enjoy an onsite gym, a subsidised Costa, a canteen and restaurant, prayer room, plus open plan and cosy work spaces, an outdoor picnic area, and bike sheds for those who cycle in.

Sustainability

B&Q House has a biomass boiler, solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system. Our building also makes use of upcycled and recycled furniture and fittings, and features natural ventilation, heat retention and CO2 management, all via our very own weather station on the roof.

Why choose us?

Why Commercial at B&Q?

We want every visit to every one of our stores to be the start of something big for our customers. So, to go with the excellent service, our Commercial colleagues offer our customers a product range that ignites their imagination and kits them out with everything they need to tackle their boldest projects.

Ready to apply?

Step 1

Apply via bandqcareers.com

Step 2

We'll contact you for a phone interview

Step 3

We’ll carry out a face to face or online interview (and we may request a 2nd interview if the role you're applying for is more complex).

Step 4

We’ll contact you with feedback, and maybe even a job offer.

Check out our FAQs for more information about interviewing at B&Q.

Buying Manager

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Eastleigh, Hampshire

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Full Time - Permanent

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Competitive