VP Category Management

Vallen USA; Belmont (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance

401(k) match

Life Insurance

Disability benefits

FSAs / Health Care & Dependent Care

PTO & Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Discounts

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

Vallen in North America is seeking a proven leader to run category management across the region. The VP will shape assortment strategy, drive private brands growth, and partner with sales, IT, and supply chain to translate category plans into field results.

You will manage senior analysts, own P&L levers, and advance supplier partnerships while delivering value through data-driven decisions and cross-functional influence.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in category management, merchandising, or strategic sourcing
• 5+ years in leadership roles, preferably in industrial distribution or B2B distribution

Responsibilities

• Build and execute data-driven assortment strategy across North America
• Lead expansion of private brands with architecture, value positioning, and go-to-market rules
• Negotiate supplier terms, rebates, and cost-management within the portfolio
• Develop strategic supplier partnerships and joint business planning
• Partner with IT to improve master data management and category tools
• Equip sales and supply teams with category narratives and field tools
• Own gross margin and other P&L levers; report performance monthly

Skills

Category management

Merchandising

Strategic sourcing

Leadership

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or equivalent preferred

Tools

Pricing systems

Inventory systems

Master data systems

Job description

Why Join Our Team?

At Vallen, we embrace what makes us unique. We thrive on the diversity of our associates and the different ways each of us contributes to Vallen’s success. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive company that values the growth of our associates. When you join Vallen, you become part of our winning team. Our vast network of connections is here to help you transform your job into a career. Vallen is an industry leader in delivering flexible supply chain solutions while creating value for our customers, our supply partners, and our associates.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance for Single, Employee + Spouse or Children, and Family Coverage
• 401(k) with discretionary company match of $0.50 on the $1.00 up to 6% of pay (U.S. positions only)
• Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Dependents
• Employer-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits and Parental Leave (and any leave required under federal, state, and local laws)
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Days): 80–160 hours of vacation time based on seniority, accrued monthly and prorated from date of hire. 40–56 hours of sick time per year based on seniority and advanced upon hire.
• Paid Time Off (Holidays): 8 scheduled holidays plus 2 floating holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Resource Groups for networking and team building
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Safety shoe and safety glasses reimbursement (based on position)
• Employee discounts through BenefitHub
• Vallen complies with all minimum wage laws
• We accept applications on an ongoing basis

Why Join Our Team?

At Vallen, we embrace what makes us unique. We thrive on the diversity of our associates and the different ways each of us contributes to Vallen’s success. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive company that values the growth of our associates. When you join Vallen, you become part of our winning team. Our vast network of connections is here to help you transform your job into a career. Vallen is an industry leader in delivering flexible supply chain solutions while creating value for our customers, our supply partners, and our associates.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance for Single, Employee + Spouse or Children, and Family Coverage
• 401(k) with discretionary company match of $0.50 on the $1.00 up to 6% of pay (U.S. positions only)
• Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Dependents
• Employer-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits and Parental Leave (and any leave required under federal, state, and local laws)
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Days): 80–160 hours of vacation time based on seniority, accrued monthly and prorated from date of hire. 40–56 hours of sick time per year based on seniority and advanced upon hire.
• Paid Time Off (Holidays): 8 scheduled holidays plus 2 floating holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Resource Groups for networking and team building
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Safety shoe and safety glasses reimbursement (based on position)
• Employee discounts through BenefitHub
• Advancement opportunities
• Vallen complies with all minimum wage laws
• We accept applications on an ongoing basis

Benefits At Vallen

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance for Single, Employee + Spouse or Children, and Family Coverage
• 401(k) with discretionary company match of $0.50 on the $1.00 up to 6% of pay (U.S. positions only)
• Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Dependents
• Employer-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits and Parental Leave (and any leave required under federal, state, and local laws)
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Days): 80–160 hours of vacation time based on seniority, accrued monthly and prorated from date of hire. 40–56 hours of sick time per year based on seniority and advanced upon hire.
• Paid Time Off (Holidays): 8 scheduled holidays plus 2 floating holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Resource Groups for networking and team building
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Safety shoe and safety glasses reimbursement (based on position)
• Employee discounts through BenefitHubAdvancement opportunities
• Vallen complies with all minimum wage laws
• We accept applications on an ongoing basis

Position Summary:

The VP, North American Category Management owns Vallen's product assortment strategy and the procurement engine behind it. This leader builds the assortment that serves our customer’s indirect supply chain needs. Through Vallen's MRO, safety, and metalworking programs, this leader will accelerate the growth of Vallen's private brands while developing and enhancing the supplier partnerships that drive differentiation for Vallen’s assortment. This role will also be responsible for collaborating with key, strategic, channel partners to serve the broader needs of Vallen’s customer base. The role leads the category management function across North America and partners closely with sales, integrated supply, pricing, IT, inventory, supply chain and marketing to convert category strategy into field results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assortment strategy: Build and execute a data-driven assortment strategy aligned to customer needs, industry verticals, and channel economics. Rationalize SKUs, close assortment gaps, and manage breadth-versus-depth tradeoffs across national brand and private brand lines.
• Private brands: Accelerate expansion of Vallen's private brand portfolio, including brand architecture, value positioning, quality standards, assortment scope, and go-to-market rules. Set penetration targets and build the sourcing and marketing plans to hit them.
• Procurement and cost: Drive value through best-in-class procurement, including negotiation strategy, rebate and channel spend optimization, cost-increase management, and total landed cost discipline. Own supplier cost negotiations and margin outcomes for the category portfolio.
• Supplier partnerships: Develop and accelerate strategic supplier partnerships, including joint business planning, tiering, scorecarding, and performance management. Convert key suppliers into growth and margin partners rather than transactional vendors.
• Master data and tooling: Partner with IT to enhance master data management and the sourcing and category tools used by the field organization, improving data quality, item setup, and the systems that surface assortment and pricing to sales.
• Field enablement: Equip the sales and integrated supply organizations with the assortment, supplier programs, and category narratives they need to win and retain customers. Translate category strategy into field-usable tools and communications.
• Financial ownership: Own the P&L levers within the category function, including gross margin, rebate capture, inventory productivity, and supplier program value. Report performance through monthly business reviews and board-level materials.
• Team leadership: Lead and develop a team of senior category management executives across North America, setting standards for analytical rigor, supplier management, and cross-functional partnership.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in category management, merchandising, or strategic sourcing, with 5+ in leadership, preferably in industrial distribution or a comparable B2B distribution environment
• Track record building assortment and private brand strategies that delivered measurable margin and growth outcomes
• Deep procurement and supplier negotiation experience, including rebate and channel spend programs
• Fluency with pricing, inventory, and master data systems and how they interact across a distribution operating model
• Strong financial acumen; comfortable owning gross margin and presenting to executive and board or sponsor audiences
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent preferred

Stay up to date with Vallen, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Equal Opportunity Employer - Ethnically and Culturally Diverse/Females/Veterans/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity