Pan EU Senior Category Manager – Book

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:

About The Team

You're 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, optimise 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 localised 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 personalisation 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.

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 optimisation) 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.

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.

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