Channel Marketing Manager, Commercial

WD-40 COMPANY•,

About The Position

This role is for someone who wants to actively shape the commercial channel strategy at WD-40, a significant growth area for the company. The commercial channel includes automotive, industrial, and B2B distribution. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in industrial or automotive channel marketing, understanding concepts like sell-in and pull-through, building distributor confidence, and influencing sales teams and brand protectors. The position involves owning the commercial channel marketing strategy for the US, focusing on distributor relationships, sales enablement, channel assortment, and end-user demand, with accountability for revenue growth, margin performance, and program ROI. The role requires experience in MRO, industrial distribution, hardware, auto parts, fluid management, or adjacent B2B channels, with an understanding of channel mechanics and the ability to adapt approaches across different commercial routes to market.

Requirements

7+ years in channel marketing or distributor marketing — with substantive experience in industrial and/or automotive channels
Understanding of how product moves through a B2B distribution channel; experience managing sell-in and pull-through simultaneously under pressure
Ability to influence people who didn’t ask for your influence — sales teams, brand managers, senior leadership — without burning bridges
Comfortable making a plan with incomplete information and adjusting it when the ground shifts
Strong financial acumen — ability to build a business case, defend a budget, and hold a P&L conversation
Willingness to perform any task necessary to move the business forward
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or related field. MBA welcomed; a strong track record is more important.
Authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. and not require sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Experience adapting approach across different commercial routes to market (e.g., automotive wholesale vs. industrial distribution)

Responsibilities

Building and owning the US commercial channel marketing strategy — multi-year vision, fiscal year execution, and the messy middle between the two
Developing WD-40’s approach to mid-market commercial accounts where we currently lack a cohesive strategy — this is greenfield work
Bridging sell-in and pull-through: landing product with distributors AND creating end -user demand that drives sell-through and velocity.
Leading SKU assortment, packaging requirements, and product lineup decisions for your channels
Creating account-specific activation plans in coordination with brand, digital, and sales — and making the internal case for the investment to execute them
Representing WD-40 at trade shows, distributor meetings, and sales team calls as a credible commercial voice
Building internal buy-in — the organization is growing its commercial fluency. You’ll be teaching as much as executing.
Leading partnership and agency management for channel programs, activations, and content development – from brief through execution and performance review.