Category Specialist

Category Specialist

The category specialist position is responsible for reviewing product movement, demand, and inventory levels within key product categories. This position will be responsible for recommending strategic vendor partnerships, establishing primary and secondary suppliers in the category, and understanding alternative requirements that meet our customer needs. This position will work closely with multiple departments within the company.

With over 115 years of experience, Stauffer Glove & Safety offers employees the stability of an industry leader.

• 401K + 401K matching
• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Wellness incentives
• Hybrid Work Schedule

Essential Functions

• Responsible for all key category activities related to product identification, product changes or alternatives, product promotions and training.
• Assist in developing product identification procedures for key categories, specifying components, product positioning, pricing, catalog and web promotions.
• Analyze movement of key categories (including inventory levels of primary and secondary suppliers).
• Assist in identifying alternatives for key categories to ensure product availability. Understand fulfillment obligations through customer agreements. Review and assess that product alternative will meet customer requirements.
• Partner with Sales and Inside Sales support to understand customer demand, and product issues, requirements, and customer requests to ensure the category is offering the best product for the customer.
• Work closely with Manager to identify competitive products for the category based on preferred supplier relationships and agreements.
• Communicate with sales, support and purchasing to understand category demand. Communicate and provide instruction to these teams coordinate any product changes related to this category.
• Regularly perform pricing and competitive analysis by key category and recommend strategies to improve market position, improve quality or reduce costs.
• Within key category management areas identify opportunities to develop private label products with import team to introduce Stauffer brand.
• Establish and maintain relationships with vendors to help facilitate the timely completion of projects.
• Work to actively convert items to key suppliers and standardize product offering.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk; Ability to sit for long periods of time at a desk. Frequent use of hands to operate the computer and phone; must be able to have the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 25lbs.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

· This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Travel

· Minimal travel is expected for this position.

Required Education and Experience

· Bachelor's degree required; supply chain, marketing or business-related field

· 2 or more years' sales support or product marketing experience working in an industrial supply or safety distribution industry

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

None required for this position.