Position Summary:
The Program Manager is responsible for driving customer value, documented cost savings, and sales growth within an MRO Safety Distribution environment. This role acts as a strategic partner to customers, internal sales teams, and preferred safety vendors by standardizing spend, improving service levels, and expanding share of wallet.
The Program Manager works cross‑functionally with internal teams to ensure seamless execution of customer programs, consistent service performance, and measurable business outcomes aligned with customer objectives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic Sales & Vendor Management
- Collaborate strategically with Preferred MRO Safety Vendors to standardize product usage, reduce SKU complexity, and deliver documented cost savings.
- Develop and execute cost‑savings initiatives through product conversions (EB), sourcing strategies, and vendor consolidation.
- Drive share‑of‑wallet growth by expanding product and service penetration across safety, PPE, and MRO categories.
- Support internal sales teams with data analysis, insights, and project execution to accelerate strategic account growth.
- Serve as a subject‑matter expert on safety and MRO programs, aligning vendor capabilities with customer needs.
Monthly Business Reviews (MBRs) & Customer Engagement
- Lead and conduct Monthly Business Reviews (MBRs) with key customer stakeholders, including Purchasing, Safety, Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and Supply Chain.
- Prepare, analyze, and present performance metrics, including:
- Year‑to‑Date (YTD) Spend
- YTD Documented Cost Savings
- Status of Ongoing Cost‑Savings Projects
- Accounts Receivable (AR) Status
- Customer Dedicated Inventory, Vending, and VMI Performance
- KPI Progress, Trends, and Action Plans
- Identify continuous improvement opportunities and recommend solutions to improve safety outcomes, service levels, and total cost of ownership.
- Act as the primary escalation point for program performance, ensuring timely resolution and customer satisfaction.
Program Execution & Cross‑Functional Collaboration
- Partner with operations, supply chain, pricing, finance, and customer service teams to ensure program execution aligns with customer commitments.
- Monitor service performance, inventory strategies, and compliance to contractual agreements.
- Ensure all customer programs deliver measurable results and align with agreed‑upon KPIs.
Job Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience in MRO, safety distribution, industrial supply, or related field.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and communicate insights.
- Proven ability to manage complex customer programs and cross‑functional initiatives.
- Proficiency in direct, high stakes negotiation, as well as drafting, interpretation and redlining of commercial contracts.
- Excellent presentation, communication, and relationship‑management skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and CRM / reporting tools.
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking and problem solving
- Customer‑centric mindset
- Financial and cost‑savings analysis
- Project and program management
- Vendor and stakeholder collaboration
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
- Experience in MRO, safety distribution, or industrial supply
- Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret data and communicate insights
- Proven ability to manage complex customer programs and cross‑functional initiatives
- Proficiency in direct, high‑stakes negotiation and commercial contract drafting/redlining
- Management of human resources and labor‑related topics and issues
- Excellent presentation, communication, and relationship‑management skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and CRM/reporting tools
- Project and program management skills
What We Do
Vallen is a leading provider of indirect industrial supplies—all those materials that are not part of the products our customers manufacture. From earplugs to specialty tools, to abrasives and cutting tools, we cover the vast majority of our customers’ maintenance, repair, operations and production-related needs. Vallen is also a leader in safety services with offerings that include equipment inspection, maintenance, certification and solution design. Many of our customers look to us for integrated supply solutions and vendor-managed inventory, with Vallen associates on-site, bringing local knowledge and expertise to the specific needs of individual facilities.
