Commodity Group 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.

Why The Kendall Group?

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 EVP of Kendall Electric and collaborating closely with senior leaders in sales and operations, the Commodity Group Manager is responsible for supporting the company's growth and profitability goals through strategic procurement, market analysis, effective leadership of their team, and internal collaboration to profitably grow our commodity business. 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. As the senior manager you will help plan execute the overall commodity strategy for Kendall Electric. You will help build and shape our most trusted partner relationships in addition to planning our pricing, inventory, and services strategies as a company. The role also involves monitoring supplier compliance, mitigating risks, and fostering continuous improvement to enhance value, reduce costs, and secure long-term partnerships. Through effective vendor engagement and cross-functional collaboration, this position ensures consistent product availability and supports overall business success. The Commodity Group Manager will be responsible for leading and managing a team of Regional Commodity Managers.

Exciting work you will do:

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

• As a leader, model the following behaviors with your team:
  • Provide leadership, direction, growth, and mentoring
  • Adhere to our company values of Success Beyond the Sale, Partnership as a Promise, We Do What We Say, Legacy of Impact, and Purpose-Driven Progress
  • Invest in self-growth through participating in continuous improvement, learning, and development
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers, negotiate contracts, and manage supplier performance to ensure optimal pricing, quality, and availability of products
• Work closely with sales, marketing, and operations teams to align category strategies with overall business goals and ensure effective implementation
• Identify and mitigate risks related to supplier relationships, market changes, and competitive pressures to ensure continuity of supply and profitability
• Engage with account managers and/or sales managers to develop strategies for winning large projectsevelop 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
• Conduct market research to stay updated on industry trends, pricing fluctuations, and service offerings from competitors
• 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 KPI’s 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

Competencies you possess:

• Customer Focus
• Results, Action Oriented
• Accountability and responsibility
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Developing Talent
• Managerial Courage
• Building Team Morale
• Process Management
• Awareness of the needs of others
• Problem Solving
• Strategic Ability
• Negotiating
• Self-motivation

What you’ll need:

• Work Experience: 7 years’ experience in electrical distribution, with commodity management including negotiation of copper, aluminum, and steel bulk purchase agreements, pricing contracts, and hedge arrangements; 2 years’ experience in people management role
• Education: Associates degree in related field or related business and industry experience
• Business Acumen: Demonstrated ability to develop & execute a multi-regional procurement strategy
• 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; ability to plan purchases based on cost averaging, replacement cost, and market prices including understanding the income and balance sheet impacts of decisions
• 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: Ability to work effectively across the division, partnering with Senior Leadership and Shared Services teams, to drive alignment, share best practices, and achieve company-wide objectives.
• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate well with all levels of the organization; manage supplier relationships division wide
• Physical, Mental and Visual Skills: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disability to perform the essential functions.  
  • Ability to see, talk and hear 
  • Ability to sit for 8 hours a day  
• Physical Environment: Normal office environment; warehouse, fabrication environment and exposure to moving equipment 
• Travel: Must be able to travel up to 30%

Qualifications we prefer but don’t require:

• Work Experience: 3 years of experience in commodity management; previous experience developing and executing a multi-regional procurement strategy
• Education: Bachelor’s degree

The Kendall Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, military status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.