Category Director

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.

This position will be located in: Fargo, ND

Application Deadline:

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

Job Summary

The Category Director provides strategic direction and guidance on which vendors and category we align our business with to enhance overall profitability. Leads collaboration with internal and external contacts looking for opportunities to improve overall category and company profitability. Leads the communication of category strategy within company and vendor community.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Develops and maintains meeting strategy with our strategic vendors. 
• Leads meetings at industry events (NAED, AD, NAUUD, ISA, etc.).
• Leads the communication of category strategy within company and vendor community.
• Provides leadership in executive level vendor meetings.
• Represents Border States at the distributor advisory council to ensure best practices in the areas of digital strategy, integrating systems, differentiation of partner levels with distributors, to ensure profitability and strength of relationship with peers and partners. 
• Determines, defines, develops, and prioritizes the strategy for category team key performance indicators.
• Owns the relationship with strategic vendors related to sales growth and profitability.
• Regularly meets with key vendors and prepares strategies for the company on strategic vendors and product lines in collaboration with all departments.
• Addresses escalated issues related to price level, mis-delivery, branch authorization, and partner collaboration, as it relates to our vendors relationship. 
• Develops strategic vendor company alignment to ensure the correct vendor and category are aligned.
• Develops and increases partnership alignment as it relates to various categories to ensure profitability and sales growth. 
• Participates on industry councils to ensure we are up to date on industry trends and new products.
• Leads the communication plan on key category activities to all departments.
• Negotiates, ensures renewals, and collects vendor rebate payments of enterprise programs and top tier vendors. 
• Responsible for setting profitability strategy for assigned portfolio of categories. 
• Collaborates with all departments on finding new ways to maximize time, efforts, and profitability to bend the cost curve.

Non-essential Functions

• Finds ways to streamline process improvement for key functions within category management.
• Develops categories strategies.
• Develops team and category KPI's. 
• Assists in the strategy development for new category of products. 
• Supports Service Excellence initiatives by supporting Service Excellence training and mentoring opportunities with assigned staff. 
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor or designate.

Qualifications

• 4-year degree in sales, category management, product management, industrial distribution, technical or business degree and 5 years of equivalent experience required.
• 10 years of experience in category management or industry experience preferred.
• 4+ years of supervisory experience required.
• Strong knowledge of electrical, utility, industrial or communication products, and systems required.
• Knowledge of the SAP materials management system and its reporting capabilities is preferred. 
• Strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint), internet, email, and SAP software. 

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent, written and verbal communication, reading, and analytical skills.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and negotiate.
• Ability to effectively present ideas and gain support.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong interpersonal and team building skills.
• Strategic thinker that can develop and manages through key metrics.
• Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged. 

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:
Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

• Lift from Waist:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all
• Lift from Floor:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Frequently
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all
• Carried for Distance:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

• Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Continuously
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently
• Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally
• Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all
• Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Frequently
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently
• Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally
• Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally
• Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally
• Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously
• Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously
• Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Frequently
• Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally
• Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously
• Use of a computer - Continuously
• Use of a telephone - Frequently
• Hearing (Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously
• Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Not at all
• Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Occasionally

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Our History

Border States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with approximately 130 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction, industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers’ needs, which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment, resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.

Values
As a Border States employee-owner, you’re responsible for living our mission, service philosophy and service standards.

Our Purpose
We believe unstoppable businesses shouldn't go it alone. We are owners - of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

Service Philosophy
We earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.

Service Standards
Border States employee-owners are competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged .

Your career
Join an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for?

Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

Health, Dental and Vision Benefits
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity
FSA & HSA
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Disability Benefits
401(k) Retirement Plan
Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Holidays
Paid Volunteer Time
Personal Leave time and more!
Border States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.

Equal Opportunity For All

It’s not just the law. It’s something we’ve believed in since our founding. We value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.

Drug Free/Smoke Free workplace

Employment may be contingent on the offered candidate successfully passing one or more of the following pre-employment screenings:

• Criminal background check (required for all positions)
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check (required for positions involving driving)
• Drug testing

The MVR check and drug testing vary by role and will be communicated to the offered candidate during the onboarding process and as applicable.