Procurement Category Manager

Category Manager – Skilled Trades

Service Minds is a leading provider of plumbing, HVAC, and electrical solutions, committed to delivering exceptional service and innovative products to our customers. We foster a collaborative, growth-oriented culture where employees are empowered to make strategic decisions, drive business impact, and grow professionally.

As a Category Manager – Skilled Trades, you will lead strategic category planning and execution for plumbing, HVAC, and electrical products and services. This role is customer-focused, requiring leadership experience, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to integrate product and service offerings to drive business growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. You will partner with branch teams and internal stakeholders to implement category strategies and deliver measurable value beyond cost savings.

Strategic Category Planning & Leadership

• Develop, document, and execute multi-year category strategies aligned with company growth, operational requirements, and financial objectives.
• Analyze category performance, sales trends, and customer needs to identify opportunities for growth, process improvement, and value creation.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives, providing guidance to branch teams and stakeholders to ensure alignment and effective execution.
• Translate market insights and category data into actionable strategies that enhance both product and service offerings.

Merchandising & Marketing Alignment

• Collaborate with branch teams and leadership to align category strategies with merchandising, marketing, and service initiatives.
• Support new product introductions and category expansions to drive adoption, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Ensure categories are positioned strategically to meet evolving customer needs and market demand.

Supplier & Vendor Management

• Identify, evaluate, and manage suppliers in alignment with category objectives, quality standards, and total cost considerations.
• Lead contract negotiations and manage supplier performance to ensure reliability, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Build strong supplier partnerships that support business goals and innovation.

Customer-Focused Operations

• Partner with branch teams to understand customer needs and translate them into effective category strategies.
• Implement process improvements that enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.
• Monitor key metrics to assess category performance, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, Supply Chain, Merchandising, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in skilled trades categories, large-scale retail operations, or healthcare/automotive categories.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams or leading cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of category strategy, merchandising, and integration of products and services.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Customer-service oriented mindset with experience collaborating with operational teams.
• Skilled trades experience (plumbing, HVAC, electrical) is preferred but not required.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Planning & Leadership
• Merchandising & Marketing
• Negotiation & Communication
• Analytical Skills
• Stakeholder Engagement & Value Delivery