Category Buyer

Cameron Ashley Building Products•Greer, SC

About The Position

Cameron Ashley is a wholesale distributor of roofing, insulation, gypsum, siding, and other specialty building products. We deliver an industry leading portfolio of marquee brands to customers in the lumber and building materials industry. Cameron Ashley operates a physical network of more than 65 distribution centers stocking large quantities of building materials locally throughout the United States. We feature a variety of customer-focused delivery options under the same day or next day F^ST delivery banner. Our relationship-based approach rewards customers with their PLUS® Points loyalty program, FREE merchandising, as well as purchasing and show incentives. Customers can order 24/7 online through either our CONNECT customer portal or mobile phone app. Online they will find a complete set of digital tools and resources including product availability, pricing, previous and pending orders, invoices along with secure payment options, product specifications, warranty information, and more! We work each day to exceed our customer expectations in a fun and rewarding environment. That means a laid-back atmosphere, casual dress, and open communication where employees are empowered to win every day. We offer a full benefits package including ample vacation and sick time, paid medical, dental, and vision, 401K match, and much more! We look for passionate individuals who enjoy working as part of a team in a customer-focused environment. At Cameron Ashley we Play To Win! So, who is ready to join our Team and compete every day? POSITION SUMMARY The primary function of this position is the responsibility for development, implementation and management of assigned product categories. This will include working with the Sales & Distribution group, Marketing and Vendors in the creation of comprehensive programs with the characteristics required for a leadership position in each market served. This will be accomplished by establishing category expertise, gathering information, conducting line reviews and finalizing the assortment, negotiating the national program with selected vendors, working with the Marketing and Sales teams to coordinate implementation, monitoring the introduction and promotion of assigned product categories, and managing inventory levels and personnel with the Purchasing Group. This will also require providing the support and information required for pricing, SKU integrity and regional invoice pricing. Success will be measured by a combination of turns, rebate margin, sales growth, and the ability to meet customer expectations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business Management or Marketing
Good negotiating and strategic category management skills
The ability to work in a team environment, preferable with an ability to lead a team developing and implementing specific goals
An understanding for and the ability to manage ROI and other KPIs responsibly
Knowledge and the ability to work with MS Office - Excel, Word, Power Point
Experience in Cognos, NxTrend or similar procurement or ERP systems
Must be able to travel as needed (25%), with some overnight travel
Ability to pass drug test and background verifications
Must have a valid Driver’s License and an acceptable driving record

Nice To Haves

PMI Certification preferred
Experience in the building material industry preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and manage vendor relationships for the programs developed for assigned product categories to support the Company’s Direct & 2-Step Distribution business model, in collaboration with representatives from Marketing and the Distribution Centers
Negotiate programs with suppliers that optimize sales and profitability to support the programs developed. This includes, but is not limited to, meeting the needs of customer’s, product and promotional support, managing total/net COGS and internal KPIs, and market share growth
Foster and manage the communication between the Company’s sales organizations and the supplier communities, both nationally and locally
Monitor and coordinate course corrections, as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, reacting quickly to the trends and key market opportunities that develop in collaboration with representatives from Marketing and the Distribution Centers
Develop & implement replenishment objectives and strategies to support the Company’s 2-Step distribution business model
Utilize marketing from supplier to change the way a sales call works and develop monitoring with the Merchandising Merchant to ensure proper use and connections of suppliers, sales, and customers for an enhanced approach