Sr Manager Category Management - Maintenance & Repair

Vallen Distribution Inc.•Belmont, NC

About The Position

The Sr. Category Manager is a high-impact leadership role responsible for defining and executing long-term strategic category plans across a portfolio of key product categories. This individual will serve as a trusted partner to Sales, Integrated Site Leadership, IT, Sourcing, and Supply Chain, with a mandate to optimize gross margin performance, drive profitable growth, and align Vallen’s category strategies with evolving customer needs and market dynamics.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, or related field (MBA preferred)
7+ years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, merchandising, or product management, preferably within industrial distribution
Strong financial acumen and experience managing category-level P&L
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic plans
Deep understanding of market dynamics, competitive positioning, and customer requirements within distribution or B2B environments
Proven success in leading cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational alignment
Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills
Experience working with ERP systems and advanced data analytics tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Excel)

Responsibilities

Assortment Optimization: Define core vs. extended product assortment strategies using data-driven analysis of customer demand, market trends, and supplier performance with a focus on the customer.
Strategic Planning: Lead the development of multi-year strategic category plans including customer segmentation, pricing strategy, competitive positioning, and value proposition development.
Supplier Strategy: Develop and maintain strategic supplier relationships; identify consolidation and partnership opportunities to improve profitability, service, and innovation.
Analytics & Insights: Leverage business intelligence tools and market data to monitor category performance, identify growth opportunities, and guide decision-making.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with Sales, Sourcing, Marketing, and Operations to ensure category strategy execution aligns with enterprise objectives.
Innovation Pipeline: Identify emerging trends and new product opportunities; champion innovation in collaboration with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Financial Performance Management: Own category-level P&L and working capital performance, including margin optimization initiatives, cost management, and supplier program execution.
Other duties assigned by departmental leadership

Benefits

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance for Single, Employee + Spouse or Children, and Family Coverage
401(k) with discretionary company match of $0.50 on the $1.00 up to 6% of pay (U.S. positions only)
Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Dependents
Employer-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits and Parental Leave (and any leave required under federal, state, and local laws)
Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Days): 80–160 hours of vacation time based on seniority, accrued monthly and prorated from date of hire. 40–56 hours of sick time per year based on seniority and advanced upon hire.
Paid Time Off (Holidays): 8 scheduled holidays plus 2 floating holidays
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Resource Groups for networking and team building
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Employee Referral Program
Safety shoe and safety glasses reimbursement (based on position)
Employee discounts through BenefitHub
Advancement opportunities
Vallen complies with all minimum wage laws