Director of Category Development

At Specsavers, our purpose is clear: to change lives through better sight and hearing. Behind that purpose sits a globally connected product and supply chain ecosystem responsible for shaping one of our most commercially significant categories.

The Ophthalmic Lens Category Development team shapes the future of Specsavers' global lens portfolio, combining customer insight, innovation and strategic partnerships to drive growth and customer outcomes.

We're looking for a Director of Category Development to lead one of Specsavers' most strategically important categories, shaping the future of the global ophthalmic lens portfolio and driving sustainable growth, customer outcomes and commercial success.

The Role

This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining the long-term vision for Specsavers' global ophthalmic lens category. You'll identify growth opportunities, shape the future portfolio and ensure customers continue to benefit from high-quality, market-leading lens solutions.

Leading a global network of suppliers, partners and stakeholders, you'll build strategic relationships that foster innovation, strengthen resilience and create long-term value. Working across the business, you'll connect customer needs, clinical insight and operational capability to bring new products and category initiatives successfully to market.

What You'll Be Doing

• Define and deliver the global ophthalmic lens category strategy, shaping a long-term vision that drives growth, innovation and customer value.
• Develop and execute a multi-year category and portfolio roadmap aligned to business and regional priorities.
• Lead the evolution of the global lens portfolio, ensuring it remains relevant, competitive and aligned to customer and market needs.
• Drive innovation across lens technologies, materials, treatments, myopia management and emerging manufacturing solutions.
• Leverage customer, clinical and market insights to identify opportunities, inform investment decisions and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Develop and execute global supplier and sourcing strategies, balancing innovation, quality, resilience, value and security of supply.
• Build strategic partnerships with key suppliers and technology partners to drive innovation, performance and long-term value creation.
• Lead strategic commercial discussions, supplier reviews and business case development to support future growth.
• Identify and manage supplier, technology and production risks, ensuring effective mitigation and contingency planning.
• Partner across Product Operations, Manufacturing & Distribution, Fulfilment, Demand Planning, S&OP, Clinical, Marketing and regional teams to translate strategy into successful execution.
• Establish governance, performance frameworks and decision-making processes that support innovation, delivery and category growth.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the business, creating alignment and influencing strategic outcomes.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing global team, fostering a culture of curiosity, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Own the category budget, ensuring investments deliver sustainable growth, customer value and commercial returns.

What We're Looking For

• Senior leadership experience within ophthalmic lenses, optical products, healthcare products, category development or a similarly complex global product environment.
• Deep understanding of ophthalmic lens products, technologies, manufacturing, supplier networks and market dynamics.
• Experience developing and delivering global category, portfolio, innovation or sourcing strategies across multiple markets.
• Strong commercial acumen, including strategic supplier management, negotiations, business case development and value creation.
• A proven track record of turning customer, clinical and market insights into strategic decisions and measurable business outcomes.
• Experience leading complex transformation and cross-functional change programmes from strategy through to implementation.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to align diverse global teams and functions.  
• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making capability, balancing innovation, risk, quality, customer impact and commercial performance.
• An inclusive leadership style with experience building and developing high-performing, globally distributed teams.
• A curious, future-focused mindset with the resilience to thrive in a fast-moving, matrix organisation.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to lead one of Specsavers' most strategically important and commercially significant categories, shaping its future direction across a global business and influencing growth, innovation and customer outcomes at scale.

Working with senior leaders, regional teams and global supplier partners, you'll deliver meaningful change through strategic partnerships, category leadership and cross-functional collaboration.

Location: UK or Guernsey, with frequent UK and international travel.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

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