Regional Commodity Manager

About The Kendall Group

The Kendall Group is comprised of eight divisions with 75+ locations in ten states. Combined, we serve the Electrical, Automation, Pipe, Valve, and Fitting products, Steam, Lighting, Industrial Controls, and Instrumentation Industries. The Kendall Group is a 100% employee‑owned company. Kendall offers a great opportunity for a rewarding career.

Our employee ownership model is the core of who we are. You will not only own part of the company, but you will own your future. At Kendall, you'll have opportunities to learn and grow while being coached and mentored along the way. We're that company where people stay! We're proud to say more than 60% of our associates have more than 5 years of tenure, and more than 40% have greater than 10 years.

At Kendall, you will be valued and supported, your ideas will be heard, your voice will matter, and you'll work alongside incredible people who care about your success.

Role

Summary:

Reporting to the General Manager and collaborating closely with the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Purchasing and Pricing Manager, the Regional Commodity Manager is responsible for supporting the company's growth and profitability goals through strategic procurement and market analysis. This role also involves significant support to the sales team and ownership of relationships with commodity partners, positioning it as a key sales and supplier engagement role.

The essential duties and responsibilities of the Regional Commodity Manager will consist of, but are not limited to, the following:

• Engage with account managers and/or sales managers to develop strategies for winning large projects
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with vendors and regional rep agencies
• Develop procurement strategies for electrical commodities
• Negotiate the best possible price and terms with suppliers
• Oversee inventory levels to prevent shortages and excesses
• Review inventory turns and surplus, making order point adjustments as needed
• Conduct market research to stay updated on industry trends and pricing fluctuations
• Collaborate with internal teams to understand supply needs and ensure seamless procurement processes with purchasing
• Interact with sales managers and territory/location managers to understand specific market trends and dynamics and develop local strategies to profitably grow the business
• Support the sales team with product information, pricing, and availability
• Engage with customers to understand their needs and provide solutions
• Assist in forecasting sales trends to ensure adequate inventory levels
• Participate in promotional activities to showcase products and generate sales leads
• Analyze key vendor performance and develop strategies for improving category health
• Ensure proactive cost competitiveness and analyze forward buy opportunities
• Track performance for manufacturer incentive programs and create cross‑reference tables for strategic vendors and products
• Develop and track KPIs and report quarterly results and trends to team
• Provide technical solutions to account managers and support various vendor and industry events
• Perform other duties as assigned

• Service Excellence
• Results and Action Oriented
• Accountability and Responsibility
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Problem Solving
• Strategic Ability
• Negotiating
• Self‑motivation

• Work Experience: 3 years of experience in electrical distribution or related industry, inside sales, outside sales or commodity management
• Education: High school diploma or GED
• Analytics/Computer
  
  Skills:
  
  Ability to use standard office equipment, proficient with Microsoft Office products, especially Excel; strong analytical skills; understand how inventory calculations work; understand inventory forecasting and modeling; strong understanding of commodities markets
• Organization
  
  Skills:
  
  Excellent communication and negotiation skills; ability to multi‑task and shift priorities as needed; ability to work in fast‑paced, continuously evolving, and at times ambiguous environment; ability to prioritize, document processes and track progress
• Cross‑functional
  
  Skills:
  
  Self‑motivated; ability…