Channel Marketing Manager, Commercial

WD-40 COMPANY•,

11d

About The Position

This role is for someone who wants to actively shape the commercial channel strategy at WD-40 Company, focusing on automotive, industrial, and B2B distribution. The playbook for this growth frontier is still being written, offering an exciting opportunity for the right candidate. The position requires a deep understanding of industrial or automotive channel marketing, including the nuances of sell-in, pull-through, distributor relationships, and influencing sales teams and brand protectors. The Commercial Channel Marketing Manager will own the US commercial channel marketing strategy, sitting at the intersection of distributor relationships, sales enablement, channel assortment strategy, and end-user pull-through, with accountability for revenue growth, margin performance, and program ROI. The ideal candidate will have experience in MRO, industrial distribution, hardware, auto parts, fluid management, or adjacent B2B channels, and the ability to adapt approaches across different commercial routes to market. The role involves working closely with an energetic sales team and requires strong financial acumen and a willingness to handle all aspects of the business.

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 — and done it 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 handle any task that moves the business forward
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or related field.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. and should not require sponsorship now or in the future to legally work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

MBA welcomed; a strong track record is more important.
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.