Category Manager - Outside Purchased Products

Company Description

Headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Associated Materials (www.associatedmaterials.com) is a $1.8 billion vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor of exterior residential building products in the United States and Canada. Associated Materials was founded in 1947 in Ohio and grew organically and through a series of acquisitions. Today, Associated Materials is a privately held company with the equity owned by the private equity firm SVP Global.

Associated Materials produces a comprehensive offering of exterior building products including vinyl windows, vinyl siding, aluminum trim coil, aluminum and steel siding, and related accessories which are manufactured in 11 strategically located facilities across the United States and Canada. The company also sells complementary products that are manufactured by third parties “outside purchased products” or “OPP”, such as roofing materials, cladding materials, insulation, exterior doors, and tools. The company also provides installation services, primarily as a driver of window and siding sales, in the United States.

The company enjoys some of the best recognized set of brands among customers in North America including Alside, Gentek, Revere, Preservation and Alpine. The breadth, balance, and innovation of the company’s product portfolio, along with the company’s unique integrated model inclusive of both manufacturing, distribution, and installation, differentiate Associated Materials from its competitors.

CATEGORY MANAGER, OUTSIDE PURCHASED PRODUCTS: REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Category Manager, Outside Purchased Products will report to the SVP ISS & OPP. Further, this role will work daily with the commercial segments and frequently with other functions such as Finance, Operations, and the company’s senior management team. The successful candidate will be comfortable managing by influence in a matrixed organization.

Position Responisbilities

The AM commercial segments are supported by a number of functional areas; one of which includes the Category Management function.

Key Areas Of Accountability

The role of Category Management within Associated Materials is to broadly own and direct the strategy, product, branding, channel roadmap, marketing, vendor, and P&L for the respective product category. A Category Manager’s ownership of a set of products performance includes becoming the product’s advocate and subject matter expert across all channels of distribution at AM.

• Develop and execute line reviews and strategic plans for the OPP category that falls in line with Associated Materials’ overall strategic direction. Communicate the strategy, updates, and vendor changes to the broader organization.
• Ownership of the category in the company’s annual Strategic Planning and Budgeting Process.
• Product Financial Accountability: includes sales revenue dollars, contribution margin dollars and contribution margin percent. This role owns the P&L for the OPP category.
• Full line responsibility for the product category from “dawn-to-dusk” including all aspect of the line, including vendor selection and meetings to commercial and end customer sales and performance.
• Determine the correct product mix set for the category, build vendor relationships, support contract negotiations and work to promote profitable growth for the category.
• PRODUCT

• Understand the competitive, and customer, landscape to ensure product/branding is aligned to AM strategy. Build relationships with customers in the field and the commercial segments.
• Develop marketing programs (including supplier backed programs) for the category to drive growth and/or margin expansion.
• CATEGORY BRANDING
• Coordinate and insure execution of events, meetings and training in support of the product category.
• Coordinate with marketing and sales to ensure samples, support, and co-branding efforts meet and exceed expectations with field and sales personnel.
• Manage sell through strategies and attachment to integrated products.

• CHANNEL
• Leader of VOC efforts to ensure customer needs through all channels meet and exceed expectation for the category.
• Ensure the smooth performance of the category by engaging the various support functions to insure supply of the product and its performance meets and exceeds market needs.
• Vendor contact and full vendor ownership, to include daily contact, pricing discrepancy, new vendor analysis, relationship, vendor meetings and product/inventory planning.
• Develop and or collaborate on forecasting processes and inventory planning.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in business or industrial distribution (an MBA or other appropriate advanced degree is beneficial) and a strong track record of driving sustained profitable growth in product or category management and/or P&L roles.

The successful candidate will possess 7+ years or more of successful business experience in commercial areas of industry. The ideal candidate will have broad experiences within the industrial distribution industry and/or the building products industry.

The Following Competencies/skills/abilities Are Desirable

• Strong business acumen; P&L focused and connected
• Building Materials Strategist; strong breadth and depth of Exterior Building Products
• Strategic thinking and planning
• Strong analytical and critical thinking
• Has a strong experience set and sense of the market, product, branding and channel management.
• A strong track record of sales and profit growth in a distribution based organization
• Uses data to drive decision makin

Compensation & Attractions

AM is prepared to offer an attractive base salary with incentives. This position offers a leadership opportunity for an individual who is desirous of working in a fast-paced, non-bureaucratic and nimble environment.

Additional Information

Associated Materials is a leader in exterior building products for residential and commercial remodeling and new construction markets. We produce vinyl windows, vinyl and composite siding and accessories, and metal building products—and distribute other essential building products to ensure customers find everything they need for their exterior.

Headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, more than 4,000 associates across North America support Associated Materials. We operate 11 manufacturing facilities and more than 100 Alside and over 20 Gentek supply centers across the United States and Canada. Through our unique combination of award-winning products, manufacturing and distribution operations, installation solutions, and support services, the opportunities at Associated Materials are endless!  

Associated Materials is an equal opportunity employer.