As the 3M Product Specialist, you are responsible for developing and maintaining the most favored distributor status with 3M. You will serve as the supplier's liaison and point of contact for the category of responsibility into Crescent Electric Supply Company and all divisions/brands/sub-locations. You will establish and maintain mutually-beneficial relationships across the entirety of CESCO and all its business functions including Supply Chain, Sales/Services, IT, Marketing, Business Intelligence/Analytics, and others. Additionally, you will partner with Purchasing and Operations to ensure the assortment for their categories is procured from the highest quality sources as the best cost.
Primary Duties: - Develop Crescent's overall 3M product strategy to support the needs of the branches and regions to compete with local and national competition.
- Work with 3M on their development of new products and negotiate pricing and service agreements that benefit Crescent and customers.
- Select new products and negotiate initial pricing and service agreements.
- Fast-track training programs for the field sales function to highlight and allow them to be the first to show the feature, function and benefit of the new product to their existing customers.
- Establish, implement, and own the end to end product category strategy. This includes developing business plans that support the required physical, logistical, capital expenditures, and inventory needs.
- Develop a market by market comprehensive plan and implement that plan across the regions. Provide increased value to the existing organization via improved buying processes, selling strategies, enhanced rebates and improved inventory performance.
- Familiarity with the construction and industrial markets and their related processes.
- Ability to align and partner across the business to drive results strategically, tactically and financially.
- Work with marketing to develop content marketing tools for mobile and web print publications.
- Align with Field Initiative Managers to provide tactical tools to the regions and salesman to quickly drive growth.
- Hold local teams accountable for improved product category performance by establishing and implementing performance criteria and quotas for sales, margin, and inventory performance.
- Work with Marketing Department to develop an overarching company product category branding position.
- Develop both internal and external communication plans to support and drive the business and improve category share.
- Work with management on leveraging relationships and develop strategies with key agents to gain Crescent a competitive advantage.
- Optimize our rebate potential and inventory investment by negotiating advantageous cost and rebate programs with vendors.
- Work with key suppliers to identify supply chain efficiencies and drive network to compliance
- Coordinate and optimize vendor returns.
- Assist in inventory planning
- Work with Corporate pricing team to establish pricing strategies for specific categories
- Secure above market SPA's for strategic national opportunities
Skills: - Must have good interpersonal skills, have good oral skills and have good written communication skills.
- Must be analytical, be able to solve problems, be able to create solutions, be cost conscious, be a strategic thinker and be able to adapt as the situation requires.
- Must be proficient in the operation of a personal computer and proficient in operating the various components of Microsoft (specifically Excel and Word).
- Ability to gather and evaluate data.
Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university and two to five of product category industry experience (purchasing, sales, or marketing) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Valid driver's license.
- Experience within electrical distribution industry, working for either a manufacturer or an electrical distributor, preferred.
- Sales experience a plus.
- Experience with Eclipse operating system, preferred.
Physical Demands: - Ability to travel to branches, company training and vendor activities 25% - 30% of the time, which will require frequent overnight stays.
- Occasionally standing, climbing/balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling is required. Often walking or reaching with hands and arms is required. Most of the time sitting, using hands to finger or handle, and talking or hearing is required.
- Frequent lifting up to 10 pounds.
- Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less) with the ability to read computer monitors.
- May be required to work more than 40 hours per week.
Total Rewards and Benefits Crescent Electric's compensation package includes an array of top-tier benefit options, including:
- Eligibility for health, and dental, vision coverage, 401(k) plan, and flexible spending accounts, subject to plan terms.
- Eligibility for company-paid benefits such as life insurance, short-term disability, long-term care, and Employee Assistance Program, subject to applicable waiting periods.
- Excused Absence time off and Paid Time Off (PTO).
- Company-paid holidays.
- Other benefits for which you may be eligible includes supplemental life insurance, hospital indemnity, and accident and critical illness benefits with cancer coverage.
- Eligibility: Employees are eligible for health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. Employees who are 21 years of age or older will be automatically enrolled in the company's 401(k) plan once they achieve 90 days of employment.
Family Owned. Culture of Quality. Opportunities to Advance. Crescent is transforming and we are on a
mission to power the communities we serve through teamwork and relentless customer focus. We have a
vision of uncompromising teamwork committed to becoming the industry leader for our employees, suppliers, and shareholders. At Crescent, you will have the opportunity to develop professionally, grow personally and have the flexibility to balance your life's priorities. Let's serve together. Let's power our communities together. Let's become THE industry leaders
together. Crescent Electric Supply Company is proudly an Equal Opportunity Employer. Crescent Electric does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, race, national origin, gender, religion, marital status, disability, veteran, military status, sexual identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
Veterans and military spouses are highly encouraged to apply. We recognize and value the unique strengths of the military community in supporting our mission to serve those who have served.
Candidates are subject to pre-employment assessments, Motor Vehicle Record review, criminal background checks, references check, and a post-offer drug screen. Crescent Electric is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Crescent Electric will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact