Channel Manager - Connecticut

James Hardie

24d•Onsite

About The Position

The Channel Manager serves as the primary business consultant and strategic partner to assigned dealers and distributors, with accountability for growing and defending share, expanding full-line Hardie product adoption and driving sustained portfolio growth within the district. Acting as the primary point of contact for key channel accounts, this role collaborates closely with Sales Leadership, Central Sales Execution, National Accounts and cross functional partners to develop and execute channel strategies and tactics. The Channel Manager leverages deep expertise on channel business models, program structures, volume flows, and competitive dynamics to influence stocking positions, launch and sustain cross-sell initiatives, generate downstream demand, and support long term value creation for channel customers and James Hardie.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
5+ years of successful outside sales experience selling value‑added, whole‑solution products (consumer durables, manufacturing, telecommunications, or similar).
Proven territory management and new business development; strong prospecting, pipeline discipline, and close‑rate follow‑through.
Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to influence across dealer/contractor stakeholders and internal cross‑functional teams.
Strong problem‑solving and win‑win negotiation capabilities.
Sales Expertise: Willingness and ability to cultivate relationships, grow networks, nurture leads, and passion to identify targets. Ability to negotiate and collaborate with business leaders to achieve an ideal outcome. Knowledgeable of market segmentation and go-to-market strategies. Familiar with Customer Relationship Management systems to aid in organization and planning.
Business Consultation: Understand dealer/distributor financials (margins, turns, inventory optimization), market opportunity, competitive set, and builder/contractor dynamics to advise partners for mutual growth.
Sales Execution: Mastery of sales process understanding sales funnel management and excellent sales practices. Ability to analyze market trends and adjust organizational strategy accordingly. Knowledge of market segmentation and go-to-market strategies.
Marketing Execution: Ensure consistent brand presence at customer locations; maintain POS and collaborate with Field Marketing on hyper‑local campaigns.
Building Products Knowledge: Familiar with basic construction practices with the ability to understand residential construction process. Learns James Hardie product line, including features, applications, installation considerations, and value drivers across residential and commercial projects.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain the district’s full-line portfolio strategy for the channel.
Act as the district’s subject matter expert on the channel for both dealers and distribution (e.g., volume flows, program structure and status, stocking locations, dealer business models, competitive presence, early buy process across the district, product margins for JH & key competitors)
Understand key levers for full-line portfolio growth within the channel and develop a prioritized key account plan with the DSM that supports the overarching district plan
Gain and maintain share with dealers and distributors.
Be the primary POC for assigned accounts and product categories (e.g., in front of each account through consistent touchpoints, resolving issues in a timely manner)
Increase the ability and intent of key accounts to promote the full-line Hardie products
Gain new stocking positions and defend existing
Launch and sustain cross-sell campaigns, increase product line adoption and share of wallet within key accounts
Maintain and implement new programs
Oversee account coverage with distributors (e.g., quarterly planning meetings, joint targeting, quarterly business reviews, annual agreements, segmentation)
Leverage channel relationships for joint targeting and to generate builder, installer and contractor leads for the regional account managers.
Educate channel sales teams on Hardie products to enable downstream demand (e.g., value proposition)
Collaborate with team (e.g., pass leads and tips to each other)
Prepare for weekly L1 meetings and use 1:1s with DSM to raise any escalations and get help where needed
Maintain upkeep of ad hoc cross-functional meetings and administrative tasks
Partner with the central sales execution, channel team and sales leadership to provide ongoing feedback and continuous improvement on channel strategies and tactics.