Channel Manager

Arrow International, Inc.•Brooklyn, OH

About The Position

Arrow International is seeking a commercially-driven and operationally-focused Channel Manager to own the performance of consumables products and supporting point-of-purchase (POP) marketing materials within a dedicated retail or on-premise channel. The Channel Manager serves as the primary business owner for the assigned channel, with accountability for driving sell-thru rate by translating product placement into genuine consumer demand through strategic planning, field execution, customer relationship management, and cross-functional collaboration. This role will report to the Director, Channel Management and Product Marketing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field required.
7–10 years of progressive sales, product management, or channel management experience within a CPG manufacturer, distributor, or broker organization.
Demonstrated track record of achieving sell-thru, volume, and distribution targets within a defined channel or territory.
Prior experience in one or more of the following channels strongly preferred: licensed on-premise, specialty or impulse retail, gaming/entertainment venues, or ecommerce/DTC.
Experience managing distributor relationships and/or a broker network is highly desirable.
Analytical acumen: ability to translate data into actionable recommendations.
Commercial negotiation: skilled at building and presenting fact-based selling stories and negotiating mutually beneficial agreements.
Merchandising knowledge: solid understanding of in-store and on-premise POP best practices, planogram principles, and promotional mechanics.
Project management: ability to manage multiple programs, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously with a high degree of organization.
Communication: exceptional verbal and written communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior leadership and external partners.
Digital fluency for ecommerce-specific roles: familiarity with Amazon Seller/Vendor Central, DTC platforms, or retail media networks.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint; CRM experience preferred.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in one or more of the following channels strongly preferred: licensed on-premise, specialty or impulse retail, gaming/entertainment venues, or ecommerce/DTC.
Experience managing distributor relationships and/or a broker network is highly desirable.
Digital fluency for ecommerce-specific roles: familiarity with Amazon Seller/Vendor Central, DTC platforms, or retail media networks.
CRM experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a fundamental understanding of the channel’s operators and consumers, their needs, and their purchase drivers in order to develop channel strategies and operational plans.
Develop and own the annual channel business plan, including volume targets, sell-thru goals, promotional calendars, and trade spend budgets.
Identify growth opportunities through analysis of sell-thru data, category trends, competitive activity, and white-space account mapping.
Establish channel-specific go-to-market strategies for new product introductions, assortment mix optimization, merchandising solutions, and related equipment.
Collaborate with Sales Leadership and Product Management to set channel pricing, promotional guardrails, and distribution targets consistent with brand positioning.
Partner with Sales Reps and Account Managers to address the needs of key accounts, distributors, and channel partners within the assigned channel.
Build and maintain productive relationships with distributor sales reps and charitable operators.
Conduct regular business reviews with key partners, presenting performance scorecards, trend analyses, and joint growth plans.
Develop and maintain a meaningful segmentation framework for managing the business.
Define channel-appropriate POP marketing standards and planogram recommendations to maximize in-location product visibility and consumer conversion.
Partner with the Marketing team to develop and deploy POP assets tailored to each channel environment.
Monitor in-location compliance for merchandising standards through field visits, distributor reporting, and other relevant audits.
Evaluate POP program effectiveness via sell-thru lift analysis and continuously optimize the materials mix.
Own the channel sell-thru KPI; monitor weekly and monthly performance against plan and initiate corrective actions as needed.
Analyze shipment, depletions, and point-of-sale data to identify inventory imbalances, velocity issues, and promotional effectiveness.
Collaborate with Demand Planning and Supply Chain to align shipment phasing with anticipated channel sell-thru velocity.
Prepare and present regular channel performance reports, highlighting risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.
Educate distributor sales teams and direct account sales reps on assortment optimization, POP placement standards, and other merchandising best practices.
Develop sales tools, channel sell sheets, and objection-handling guides to support field execution.
Ride with distributor reps and conduct account blitzes to model best practices and maintain direct market intelligence.
Set and track distributor performance metrics through structured KPI reviews.
Partner with Trade Marketing and Brand teams to ensure channel programs are aligned with brand standards and campaign calendars.
Provide the voice of the channel to Product Management/Development, sharing consumer insights, competitive intelligence, and unmet needs.
Coordinate with Finance and Trade Marketing on trade spend accruals, deductions management, and ROI analysis for promotional investments.
Work with Customer Service and Logistics to resolve service issues that could impair sell-thru velocity.