Category Manager, Hybrid Infrastructure

CDW; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 114,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus target 10%

Benefits overview link

Job summary

CDW Category Manager, Hybrid Infrastructure leads a team focused on defined product categories within the CDW portfolio. You drive profitability by integrating programs with product and partner lines, shaping pricing strategies, and aligning marketing plans with key partners and sales leaders.

You will own PCM, manage partner relationships, forecast sales, and oversee merchandising and annual business planning. Travel up to 20% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years in PM/marketing/supply chain/sales/finance, or 9+ years in those areas.
• Experience coaching or mentoring others.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership through coaching, feedback, development goals, and performance management.
• Own and maximize PCM – Partner Controllable Margin.
• Establish pricing strategies, monitors competitive activity, oversees product information, and identifies customer needs.
• Responsible for the creation of customer offers.
• Oversee the development of marketing plans for their product portfolio.
• Responsible for maximizing revenue, profit, and vendor co-op for specific product category(s) through planning and marketing.
• Manage and interface with partners to develop or enhance the marketing of product(s) or product line(s).
• Lead and direct merchandising activities.
• Assess and understand competitive landscape and adjust direction as needed.
• Manage SKUs per product categories.
• Identify emerging technologies and industry trends within the category and adjust the plan accordingly.
• Act as an escalation point and liaison between the vendor and CDW.
• Engage with Purchasing to help forecast sales,assist with promotional buy in opportunities with partners and communicate shifts in market pricing to help with buying decisions.
• Approve content for respective manufacturer ads.
• Create and maintain an annual business plan.
• Lead efforts to increase customer and account manager penetration for their category(s).
• Up to 20% travel

Skills

Leadership

PCM ownership

Pricing strategy

Partner management

Marketing plans

Cross-functional collaboration

Forecasting

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

The Category Manager, Hybrid Infrastructuremanages a team that focuses on the pre-determined product categories assigned. This role drives profitability and revenue through the integration and development of programs for product and partners within the CDW portfolio. The incumbent evaluates, creates, executes, and measures opportunities around the CDW product and partner mix. The Category Manageris responsible forall areas of partner management and partner investment including COOP,VIRand financial programs. This role aligns CDW and assigned partners’ marketing plans, along with owns, manages, and develops all assigned key partner relationships, and works closely with segment and sales leaders to develop customer segment focus strategies.

Whatyou’lldo

• Provide leadership to coworkers through coaching, feedback, development goals, and performance management
• Own and maximize PCM – Partner Controllable Margin
• Establish pricing strategies,monitorscompetitive activity, oversees product information, andidentifiescustomer needs
• Responsible for the creation of customer offers
• Oversee the development of marketing plans for their product portfolio
• Responsible for maximizing revenue, profit, and vendor co-op for specific product category(s) through planning and marketing
• Manage and interface with partners to develop or enhance the marketing of product(s) or product line(s)
• Lead and direct merchandising activities
• Assess and understand competitive landscape and adjust direction as needed
• Manage SKUs per product categories
• Identifyemerging technologies and industry trends within the category and adjust the plan accordingly
• Act as an escalation point and liaison between the vendor and CDW
• Engage with Purchasing to help forecast sales,assistwith promotional buy in opportunities with partners and communicate shifts in market pricing to help with buying decisions
• Approve content for respective manufacturer ads
• Create andmaintainan annual business plan
• Lead efforts to increase customer and account manager penetration for their category(s)
• Up to 20% travel

What We Expect Of You

• Bachelor’s degreeand5 years product management/marketing/supply chain/sales/finance experienceOR 9 years in product management/marketing/supply chain/sales/finance experience
• Prior experience coaching or mentoring others

Preferred Skills, Experience, And Qualities Needed

• Proventrack recordin product management/marketing a product line(s)
• Strong cross-functional team skills
• Strong strategic and executional leader
• Demonstrated financial and analytical skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively interact with stakeholders at all levels
• History of building andmaintainingrelationships
• Strong conflict resolution skills with the ability to be persuasive
• The ability to multitask effectively and see projects through frominceptionto completion
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications
• Demonstrated ability to master a product portfolio

Payrange: $114,000- $158,800depending on experience and skill set

Annual bonus target of10%subject to terms and conditions of plan

Benefits overview:https://cdw.benefit-info.com/

Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials

CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization

As a leader, you will champion and be accountable for our vision of becoming an AI-fluent organization. We expect leaders to model curiosity, encourage responsible AI adoption, and foster a culture of continuous learning. You don’t need deep technical expertise, but you should be comfortable exploring how AI can enhance strategy, decision-making, and team performance. Your role includes guiding others in building confidence and capability with AI tools and practices, while promoting openness to experimentation and shared learning.

Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that’s curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what’s possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.

About Us

CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what’s possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn’t just what we do—it’s how we do it. At CDW we act as one—building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win—focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward—staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That’s why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees—working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities.

As a full‑stack, full‑lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what’s next.

Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do. Together, we Make Amazing Happen.

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.