Director of Category Management

Working at Reece & Fortiline means being part of a growing global company that brings our purpose and values to life every day. We celebrate our team members living our values and provide opportunities to build a long and remarkable career. We're proud to support essential industries helping bring clean air and water to everyone. To learn more about our purpose and values, visit our career site at

The Director of Category Management is responsible for leading the end-to-end strategy, performance, and profitability of product categories within a Waterworks wholesale distribution environment. This role is instrumental in driving growth, improving margins, optimizing inventory, and strengthening supplier relationships. The ideal candidate brings deep technical and commercial expertise in Waterworks products, including Valves + Hydrants, PVC, Ductile Iron, and Fittings + Accessories used in Waterworks applications.

• Develop and own the category strategy, aligned with market trends, customer demand, and company objectives.
• Maintain a competitive, profitable, and regionally relevant assortment.
• Conduct SKU rationalization and lifecycle planning to ensure optimized inventory.
• Negotiate terms, rebates, marketing support, and supply agreements with manufacturers and key vendors.
• Partner with finance and branch leadership to manage profitability at the category and SKU level.
• Work with the supply chain to maintain optimal inventory levels and reduce stockouts or overstock risks.
• Partner with Sales and Operations to recommend new product introductions and end-of-life phase-outs.
• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers to fill portfolio gaps or drive innovation.

• Act as the subject matter expert for Waterworks products across sales, marketing, operations, and training teams.
• Support sales enablement by providing product knowledge resources, pricing strategies, and promotional guidance.
• Collaborate with the digital/e-commerce team to ensure accurate product content and merchandising online.

• Embrace the company purpose and live the values.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Year-over-year category sales growth
• Gross margin performance by product line
• Inventory turnover and availability
• Rebate capture and vendor performance metrics
• SKU rationalization progress
• Supplier on-time delivery and service levels

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field (MBA a plus).
• 8+ years of experience in category management or procurement in the Waterworks, plumbing, or building materials sector.
• Deep product knowledge of Waterworks products (materials, standards, applications).
• Experience working with contractors, distributors, or manufacturer reps.

• Strong analytical and negotiation skills with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Proven ability to manage complex vendor portfolios and category P&Ls.
• Effective communicator with strong influencing skills across departments and senior leadership.
• Proficient in ERP and analytics platforms (e.g., Eclipse, Power BI).

Our commitment to excellent customer service is just part of our story. We're also dedicated to supporting our most valuable asset, our associates! One of the ways we do this is by offering a variety of high-quality benefits for our associates and their families.

• Medical and Dental Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO) - plus paid holidays
• Parental Leave
• Voluntary benefits:
  Vision
• Lon…