Business Unit Manager
Ace Hardware · PA
JOB SUMMARY:
The Business Unit Manager (Internally known as an International Merchant II) develops and executes regional merchandising, sourcing, supplier-development, and category-growth strategies for the LATAM & Caribbean region. The position drives sales growth, gross profit improvement, sourcing savings, private-label penetration, and retailer profitability by identifying market opportunities and delivering differentiated, scalable factory-direct programs.
The role leads collaboration across retailers, Regional Sales Managers, AGD Sourcing, Supply Chain, Customer Service, and vendor partners to develop global, regional, and retailer-specific assortments. The Merchant II serves as a senior subject-matter expert, translates market needs into actionable business plans, and provides functional leadership from opportunity identification through commercialization and post-sale support.
PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES:
Regional Business Growth and Category Strategy
- Develop and execute multi-year category and business-growth strategies for assigned MENA markets, retailers, and FDM opportunities.
- Analyze consumer behavior, competitive activity, market trends, prior program performance, retailer needs, and financial potential to identify growth opportunities.
- Create category roadmaps, business cases, and action plans; present recommendations to leadership and adjust strategies as business conditions change.
Factory Direct Program Development
- Lead the development and implementation of scalable global, regional, and retailer-specific FDM programs that increase sales, margin, and differentiation.
- Identify categories with multi-retailer potential, gather input across cultures and customer types, and translate requirements into commercially viable product proposals.
- Develop and coordinate catalogs, sales materials, convention programs, special events, and other commercialization tools required to drive retailer adoption and replenishment.
Private Label Strategy and Product Development
- Lead the identification, sourcing, development, commercialization, and retailer adoption of Ace-controlled and private-label products.
- Partner with retailers, Sales, Sourcing, Branding, Product Development, and vendors to define specifications, positioning, packaging, target costs, and launch requirements.
- Identify opportunities to replace lower-margin bill-through suppliers with Ace-controlled supply alternatives where commercially appropriate and compliant with company standards.
Global Sourcing and Supplier Strategy
- Develop supplier strategies that support product innovation, availability, margin improvement, and long-term business growth.
- Identify, evaluate, qualify, and develop factories and suppliers in coordination with AGD Sourcing and other required functions.
- Lead commercial negotiations for product cost, terms, funding, exclusivity, distribution opportunities, and strategic partnerships within approved authority levels.
- Conduct supplier, showroom, trade-show, and factory visits to assess capabilities and identify regional and global opportunities.
Financial Performance Management
- Develop and manage annual sales, gross profit, margin expansion, sourcing-savings, and private-label growth plans for assigned programs.
- Monitor business performance, vendor productivity, program adoption, and commercial results; identify risks and implement corrective actions.
- Prepare financial analyses and business cases for new programs, supplier changes, product development, and retailer opportunities.
Retailer and Market Development Leadership
- Build trusted relationships with retailers and Regional Sales Managers and serve as a senior resource for category, product, sourcing, and FDM opportunities.
- Lead retailer opportunity discussions, translate market needs into actionable product programs, and support sales conversion and replenishment planning.
- Coordinate post-sale support with Sales, Customer Service, Sourcing, and vendors to address execution issues and protect long-term relationships.
Cross-Functional Leadership and Talent Development
- Lead cross-functional initiatives involving Merchandising Specialists, Sales, Branding, Sourcing, Product Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Inventory, Customer Service, Compliance, and other partners.
- Establish roles, milestones, and accountability; communicate progress, risks, decisions, and order status to leadership and stakeholders.
- Provide functional guidance, coaching, and knowledge transfer to Merchandising Specialists and junior merchandising team members.
Vendor, Brand, and Industry Development
- Build strategic relationships with key vendors and brands and establish joint plans to grow the assigned markets.
- Monitor product, brand, packaging, merchandising, and sourcing trends and convert relevant insights into business opportunities.
- Represent Ace International at appropriate trade shows, supplier meetings, showrooms, and industry events
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND COMPETENCIES
Minimum education and experience
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, merchandising, marketing, supply chain, engineering, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
- 7+ years of business experience, including 5+ years in merchandising, category management, buying, or product development and 5+ years in sourcing or supplier development.
- Demonstrated experience developing products, assortments, suppliers, and commercial programs for international markets.
- Experience working with retailers, distributors, vendors, and cross-functional teams across cultures and geographies.
- Regional and global brand awareness within home improvement, hardware, or related consumer-product industries.
- Fluent written and spoken English; additional language capability relevant to assigned markets is preferred.
- Ability to travel internationally approximately 20-30% of the time.
Technical knowledge and skills
- Advanced knowledge of category strategy, assortment planning, global sourcing, product development, commercialization, private label, and factory-direct business models.
- Strong financial and analytical capability, including sales, gross profit, margin rate, cost, sourcing savings, pricing, inventory, program productivity, and business-case evaluation.
- Demonstrated negotiation capability across product cost, terms, funding, exclusivity, distribution, and strategic supplier partnerships.
- Ability to evaluate factories, suppliers, product quality, packaging, market relevance, capacity, compliance, and commercial risk in partnership with the appropriate functional teams.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint; working knowledge of SAP and business reporting tools preferred.
- Strong project leadership, prioritization, and follow-through while managing multiple complex initiatives and deadlines.
Core and merchandising competencies
- Strategic Thinking: Translate consumer, retailer, market, supplier, and financial insights into multi-year growth strategies.
- Financial Acumen: Understand the financial drivers of the business and make recommendations that improve profitable growth.
- Communication: Deliver clear, concise, audience-appropriate communication and executive-ready recommendations.
- Accountability: Own commitments, milestones, business results, and corrective action.
- Problem Solving and Decision Making: Define complex problems, evaluate alternatives, manage risk, and make sound, timely decisions.
- Planning and Execution: Convert strategy into structured plans, align resources, and drive execution across multiple stakeholders.
- Influence and Cross-Functional Leadership: Build commitment and lead outcomes without relying on direct authority.
- Negotiation: Use preparation, data, scale, and business drivers to achieve competitive commercial outcomes.
- Innovation and Product Passion: Demonstrate curiosity and identify differentiated products, programs, suppliers, and business models.
- Coaching and Mentoring: Share expertise and provide functional guidance to junior merchandising team members and project partners.
WORK AUTHORIZATION: This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.
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