As a Manager - Category Management, you will be responsible for category strategy planning and overseeing execution of supplier growth plans. You will lead the development of customer-centric category plans, working with Sales and Marketing to identify new growth opportunities. You will lead product assortment optimization efforts and new product onboarding. You will manage preferred supplier relationships, providing increased value for both the company and the supplier.
Responsibilities:
- Category strategy: Design strategic programs that position brands within the portfolio and increase penetration in the Utilities market.
- Manufacturer management: Manage pricing, project registrations, rebates, marketing funds, payment terms, training, certifications, and other commercial programs.
- Business development: Serve as the link between sales teams and manufacturers, aligning strategies, opportunities, and growth priorities.
- Profitability and growth: Take full ownership of brand management, profitability of assigned lines, and their organic or inorganic growth.
- Commercial intelligence: Keep price lists, databases, customer tiers, sales forecasts, and other business management tools up to date.
- Inventory: Define and monitor inventory levels for launches, projects, and growth plans.
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Field technical support: Support product specification, provide technical assistance, and visit sites, projects, and substations to validate that recommended solutions meet technical and commercial needs.
Supplier development: Identify and onboard new manufacturers and suppliers through special pricing programs and favorable conditions for WESCO, Anixter, and EECOL.
Experience and Technical Knowledge
- Proven experience in the electric power sector, preferably in Utilities, power transmission, and distribution.
- Practical knowledge of substation equipment, including power and distribution transformers; switches and switching equipment; medium- and high-voltage equipment; and outdoor substation equipment.
- Knowledge of protection, control, and automation systems will be considered a differentiator.
- Experience with manufacturers, distributors, EPC companies, contractors, or end users in the electric power segment.
- Familiarity with technical specifications, bids, and the development of electrical infrastructure projects.
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Preferred experience in Category Management, Product Management, Business Development, technical marketing, or business line management.
Qualifications:
- Bachelors Degree - Business, Sales, Marketing or relevant field required; Masters Degree preferred
- 5 years experience in sales, marketing, product management
- 5 years of success maintaining and developing key relationships
- 2 years People management and/or product category management experience
- Previous experience in electrical distribution market
- Proven ability to influence cross functional teams
- Analytical and detail oriented
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Excellent business and financial acumen
Tools
- Intermediate-advanced Excel.
- Intermediate-advanced PowerPoint.
- Previous experience with Access preferred.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, or a relevant field
- Five years of experience in sales, marketing, or product management
- Five years of success maintaining and developing key relationships
- Two years of people management and/or product category management experience
- Previous experience in the electrical distribution market
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams
- Analytical and detail-oriented capabilities
- Excellent business and financial acumen
- Experience in the electric power sector, preferably utilities, power transmission, and distribution
- Practical knowledge of substation equipment and medium- and high-voltage equipment
- Experience with manufacturers, distributors, EPC companies, contractors, or electric power end users
- Familiarity with technical specifications, bids, and electrical infrastructure projects
- Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel
- Intermediate to advanced Microsoft PowerPoint
- Master’s degree
- Knowledge of protection, control, and automation systems
- Experience in category management, product management, business development, technical marketing, or business line management
- Previous experience with Microsoft Access
WESCO International Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about WESCO International and has not been reviewed or approved by WESCO International.
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Retirement Support — Feedback suggests the 401(k) with company match is a relative strong point and is consistently part of the package. Retirement offerings are frequently cited as a solid element within the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Feedback suggests PTO policies are favorable, including self‑managed or generous banks in some roles along with paid holidays. Paid parental leave and related time‑off options add to the perceived strength of leave benefits.
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Flexible Benefits — Feedback suggests employees have meaningful choice through medical plan options with HSA/FSA alongside ancillary programs like EAP, discounts, and supplemental coverages. The breadth of selectable add‑ons supports tailoring benefits to individual needs.
WESCO International Insights
What We Do
At Wesco, we believe life should run smoothly. As a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions, we create a world that you can depend on. Harnessing 100 years of ingenuity and expertise, we increase profitability, improve productivity and mitigate risk for approximately 150,000 customers worldwide. With nearly 1.5 million products and locations in more than 50 countries, Wesco is your partner in progress. Our company’s greatest asset is our people. From our corporate and field offices to our distribution sites, Wesco employs over 20,000 professionals around the globe. We’re committed to fostering diversity and inclusion across our workforce by embracing the unique perspectives, authenticity, and individuality our team members contribute to the company. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Wesco is a publicly traded (NYSE: WCC) FORTUNE 500® company with 2022 net sales of $21.4 billion.
