Product Development Specialist, Staples Promotional Products

Staples Canada•Montreal, QC

About The Position

Staples Promotional Products – a division of Staples – is a national leader in the promotional products industry. At Staples Promotional Products, we help customers build love for their brands with customized merchandise solutions. Whatever story they want to tell, connection they want to make, or goal they need to deliver, Staples Promo makes it easy to design promo experiences that create lasting impact. Join our winning team! The Product Development Specialist supports Customers and Account Managers with tailored product sourcing and the creation of custom-quotes for branded promotional merchandise. The Product Development Specialist interacts directly with Customers, Account Managers and Vendors to source/select unique and fitting promotional merchandise items and ensure that all items on the quote are within customer brand guidelines, sourced from preferred vendor channels, meet customer-compliance requirements, and are within margin/profitability guidelines. The Product Development Specialist is a promotional merchandise product and customer-brand expert, specializing in tailored/custom product solutions to meet and exceed customer requests. The Product Development Specialist also ensures that ideation and source/quote activities are executed in a timely fashion in order to meet/exceed customer event timelines.

Requirements

Strong ability to interact directly with Account Managers, customers, and vendor partners
Deep understanding of customer brand guidelines to ensure accurate and expedited quotes
Proven ability to maintain and grow margins while meeting revenue goals
Knowledge of promotional merchandise sourcing, pricing, and vendor ecosystems
Experience ensuring customer satisfaction through cross-functional collaboration
Ability to manage multiple quote requests while maintaining accuracy and responsiveness
Creative, consultative mindset with the ability to exceed customer expectations
Strong organizational skills, including tracking quote activities and follow-ups
Customer-focused approach with a solid understanding of client business needs and operational requirements
Commitment to staying current on new products, trends, and best practices in promotional merchandise
2+ years of related experience in sales support, sourcing, product development, or promotional merchandise

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
Bilingual capabilities in English/French
Experience within promotional products, custom merchandise, or branded solutions
Familiarity with preferred vendor programs and compliance standards
Experience supporting revenue growth and margin performance goals
Willingness to attend product or vendor tradeshows as required

Responsibilities

Partner closely with Account Managers, customers, and vendors to support promotional merchandise sourcing and quoting needs
Manage and expand customer relationships through timely, accurate source/quote activities
Generate promotional merchandise quotes using systems and formats such as Bridge, Linc, SAGE, PPT, and email
Source promotional products from preferred domestic and overseas vendors, ensuring 80%+ preferred/partner vendor usage
Respond promptly to customer and Account Manager quote requests in accordance with SLA requirements
Handle incoming simple/transactional quote requests under $5,000 independently; manage quotes over $5,000 with Account Manager approval
Ensure all quotes align with margin and profitability guidelines and departmental targets
Maintain accountability for team margin performance and preferred vendor usage metrics
Research products, pricing, and market trends to deliver competitive, profitable quotes
Proactively present creative product sourcing ideas aligned to customer marketing objectives, events, or sponsorships
Advise customers on best product solutions and recommend custom options when appropriate
Maintain accurate records of quote activity and follow-up actions in designated systems
Submit complete, clean order requests to the Special Order Team for order entry
Attend client calls and product/vendor tradeshows (local and out-of-town as required)
Collaborate with sales and support teams to resolve inquiries, issues, and customer complaints
Contribute to team success through participation in sales meetings, sharing best practices, product ideas, and success stories