Category Manager - Channel & Directed Spend

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.

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 BenefitHub
• Advancement opportunities
• Vallen complies with all minimum wage laws
• We accept applications on an ongoing basis
  
  
  

Position Summary:

The Category Manager – Channel & Directed Spend is responsible for owning and executing category strategies across assigned product categories, with a strong emphasis on Channel and Directed spend optimization, supplier value capture, and profitable growth. This role leads fact-based negotiations, drives early quick-win savings opportunities, and partners closely with Sales, Integrated Supply, Sourcing, Finance, and Operations to optimize assortment, pricing, and supplier performance. The Category Manager plays a critical role in eliminating low-value spend, consolidating volume with strategic partners, and delivering measurable margin and cost improvements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Category Strategy & Execution: Develop and execute category plans aligned to enterprise objectives, including assortment optimization, pricing actions, and supplier strategies.
• Channel Spend & Value Capture: Identify, prioritize, and execute low-hanging savings opportunities (pricing gaps, rebates, volume leverage, SKU rationalization) to drive near-term and sustained run-rate impact.
• Supplier Negotiations: Lead data-driven supplier negotiations using structured fact packs and line-review methodologies; quantify, secure, and track commercial outcomes.
• Supplier Management: Own strategic supplier relationships, performance reviews, cost reduction initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Analytics & Fact-Based Decision Making: Analyze Category and Supplier level sales to identify opportunities, build business cases, and support negotiations and category decisions.
• Spend Consolidation: Partner with Integrated Supply and Industrial teams to eliminate tail suppliers, redirect volume, and ensure smooth execution of supplier transitions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Finance, Operations, IT, and Marketing to ensure category initiatives are executed effectively and aligned with customer needs.
• Market & Competitive Insights: Monitor market pricing, competitor behavior, and product alternatives to strengthen negotiation leverage and category positioning.
• Performance Tracking & Governance: Track savings realization, run-rate impact, and in-year benefits; ensure results are documented and sustained.
• Other duties as assigned by departmental leadership.
  
  
  

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, or related field.
• 2–4 years of experience in category management, sourcing, procurement, or commercial roles, preferably in B2B or industrial distribution environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading supplier negotiations and delivering measurable cost, margin, or pricing improvements.
• Strong analytical and financial skills; ability to work comfortably with spend data, pricing analysis, and business cases.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and execute with speed and discipline.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across commercial, operational, and finance teams.
• Experience with ERP systems and analytics tools (Excel required; Power BI/Tableau a plus).
  
  
  

Success Metrics:

• Delivered run-rate cost savings and margin/rebate improvement vs. targets
• Execution of quick-win opportunities within first 90 days of category initiatives
• Supplier performance improvements and successful spend consolidation
• Accuracy and credibility of savings tracking and financial results
  
  
  

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

Reasonable accommodations will be evaluated and may be implemented to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of this position.

• Routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, etc.
• Regularly required to talk and hear.
• Frequently required to sit.
• Occasionally required to stand and walk.
• Must be able to get self to and from various work locations. This typically requires a valid driver’s license to operate a moving vehicle (personal, company, and/or rental).
• May be required to wear various forms of protective equipment (shoes, gloves, protective eyewear, etc.) when making sales calls and/or visiting warehouse, manufacturing, customer and/or supplier facilities.
• May be exposed to facilities subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations (hot in summer, cold in winter) and conditions (dirt, smoke, concrete surfaces, etc.) when viewing and/or demonstrating products.
• Occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Long periods of time working on a computer and performing repetitive key-boarding activities is required.
  
  
  

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Equal Opportunity Employer - Ethnically and Culturally Diverse/Females/Veterans/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity