Today, Replacement Parts, Inc. and Crow Burlingame is made up of a corporate staff and several different companies, including Parts Warehouse Inc. (PWI). We employ around 1,400 employees, in twelve (12) states, serving approximately 450 locations, all operating in the aftermarket automotive parts, paint and heavy duty parts business. In 2019, our company celebrated 100 years of serving our communities as a privately held business with most of our employees spending the majority of their working lives as part of the "Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts" family.

Summary

The Auto Parts Purchasing Category Manager is responsible to oversee the Planning, directing, and coordinating the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing auto parts materials, products, and services for Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts.

General Duties of the Position:

Category Managers are responsible for sales and profitability of a given set of product categories and will manage these categories and make program recommendations for company stores, Distribution Centers and Independent Jobber customers. Specifically, he/she will manage vendor relations, category planning, line reviews and evaluations, sales growth and program implementations. Category Managers interact with the management team and contribute to the strategic decision-making process of the company. Responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans supporting the key objectives defined by the company. The role requires extensive product category management experience in an automotive environment and ability to deliver high quality results in a fast-paced environment. Responsible for the oversight and direction of assigned products and total market ownership of the assigned categories. Must operate cross-functionally with the Sales, Finance, IT, and Marketing departments from vision to execution.

Responsibilities/Tasks

• Interact with the management team and contribute to the strategic decision making process of the company.
• Negotiate existing and new programs with vendors to include; payment terms, acquisition costs, sales & marketing support and inventory controls.
• Perform annual reviews on categories to assess sales, margin and inventory performance. Parts selection, pricing and positioning in the sales channel will be determined through the use of data gathered through our internal and industry sources.
• Provide input on new product concepts and overall product category performance and vision.
• Interact extensively with manufacturing plants and suppliers to achieve project goals.
• Work with suppliers to develop products that meet performance specifications and market competitiveness.
• Conduct market research and gather competitive intelligence for analysis of the competitive position, product quality and vehicle coverage.
• Provide product roadmap based on market requirements and competitive situation.
• Works closely with vendors to ensure quality and continuity.
• Acts as the primary liaison between the vendors and the company.
• Support marketing programs, promotions and packaging designs to strengthen and grow assigned product lines.
• Develop creative pricing programs to maintain competitiveness while maximizing the gross margin opportunities.
• Prepare communications to ensure proper representation and buy-in of the direction of the department.
• Perform all other duties as required by management

Our Benefits (all benefits are based on eligibility and subject to change)

• 401(k) employer matching
• Company Paid Vacation, Holidays, and Sick Days
• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Company Paid Basic Life Insurance & Long Term Disability
• Short Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Additional Supplemental Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Purchase Discounts
• Scholarship Program
• Earning Incentives and Bonuses

Decision Making

Is generally guided by established policy and technical expertise on specific product lines. Seeks guidance from management on significant or unusual situations.

Contact With Others/Supervision

External contact with vendors, stores and jobber customers. Internal contacts with executives, VP’s, operations and salespeople. Must be able to understand and involve all parties in the channel from manufacturer to service dealer to ensure success.

Budget/Revenue Responsibility

Has some budgetary responsibilities relating to specific projects.

Use of Confidential Data

Extensive use of confidential data; including vendors contracts, company sales info, company profit margins and complete pricing info. Having access to this info is pertinent to this position and is carefully controlled.

Knowledge/Skills Required

Must have knowledge of the industry and the entire product channel. Needs ability to look forward into the future and anticipate and plan for future market shifts. Makes significant decisions within the standards of the position. Solid overall communication skills – verbal, written and interpersonal. Must have strong analytical and math skills. Excellent computer skills including MS Office. Solid Excel skills required including proficiency with pivot tables and VLOOKUPS. Must have exceptional organizational and planning skills (detailed oriented person). Must be able to recognize and solve problems independently. Good sales and presentation skills are also beneficial.

Education

Associates degree or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school.

Experience

Six months to one year related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Physical demands

Must be a high-energy person who deals well with numerous tasks at once and can withstand a high profile position with accompanying stress.

Working Conditions /Travel

Ability to work beyond typical 8-hour day, as required by project demands. Must be willing to travel between 15-25% of time, depending on market activity.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Competencies

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Job Knowledge - Competent in required job skills and knowledge; requires minimal supervision.

Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; works well in group problem solving situations.

Cooperation - Offers assistance and support to co-workers; works cooperatively in group situations.

Teamwork - Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time.

Dependability - Keeps commitments; commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals..

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; monitors own work to ensure quality.

Quantity - Works quickly.

Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have basic computer skills. Knowledge of Vision and JMO Inventory software is highly preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Valid driver's license and a clean driving record

Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Employment at Replacement Parts, Inc. is subject to post offer, pre-employment drug testing. Equal Opportunity Employer. Replacement Parts, Inc. is a drug-free workplace. This is a Safety Sensitive position due to the use of heavy equipment, moving conveyors and hazardous material.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)