Associate Category Strategist AV

The Associate Category Strategist supports the Category Managers in the AV category by owning the tactical, day-to-day commercial activities that keep the supplier portfolio running.  In addition to this support function, the Associate Strategist independently manages a portfolio of suppliers, including developing and executing commercial plans, owning supplier relationships, and delivering against revenue and margin targets. 

By combining hands-on tactical execution with independent portfolio ownership, the Associate Strategist builds the commercial judgment, supplier relationship skills, and cross-functional fluency required to manage a larger, more strategic supplier portfolio. 

• Own the tactical, day-to-day functions of the category. 
• Coordinate supplier onboarding logistics for new vendors being brought into the category. 
• Handle ad-hoc data pulls, competitive analysis, and forecast inputs in partnership with the Category Analyst. 
• Coordinate with Operations and Purchasing on inventory issues, IOS (Inactive, Obsolete, Surplus) discipline, and stocking questions on behalf of the Category Manager. 
• Serve as a Level-2 commercial escalation point for the Category Manager’s broader portfolio, fielding pricing, program, and process questions from the Sales team, Market Development Specialists, and the Category Analyst. 
• Prepare briefing materials, market summaries, and supplier performance snapshots for Category Manager review. 

• Serve as the day-to-day commercial owner of an assigned portfolio of suppliers. 
• Develop and execute a strategic plan for each assigned supplier. 
• Set pricing strategy for the assigned portfolio in partnership with Purchasing. 
• Lead quarterly business reviews (QBRs) and maintain working-level supplier relationships independently. 
• Own Annual Operating Plan (AOP) targets for the assigned portfolio including revenue, margin, and growth. 
• Handle Level-2 and Level-3 escalations for the owned supplier portfolio. 
• Manage IOS discipline and working-capital targets for assigned suppliers. 
• Evaluate emerging or niche suppliers and provide recommendations to the Category Manager on portfolio additions. 

• Partner with Operations, Purchasing, Marketing, and Sales to drive execution on both the Category Manager’s portfolio and the owned supplier portfolio. 
• Coordinate with the Category Analyst to ensure data accuracy and reporting coverage for the owned portfolio. 

• Produce monthly performance reports for the owned supplier portfolio including revenue, margin, mix, and growth vs. AOP. 
• Support the Category Manager with portfolio-level reporting, trend analysis, and QBR content for their broader supplier portfolio. 
• Conduct competitive analysis and market research to inform commercial decisions. 

• 3–5 years of experience in supplier management, category management, commercial operations, or an analytical role in a B2B distribution environment. 
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to successfully handle multiple projects at the same time. 
• Demonstrated experience supporting or executing commercial strategies for a supplier or product portfolio. 
• Experience coordinating cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and/or Purchasing. 
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable commercial recommendations. 
• Proficient with Excel, BI dashboards, and CRM tools. 
• Strong written and verbal communication, comfortable on supplier calls, internal stand-ups, and cross-functional meetings. 
• Ability to travel (~5–10%) for supplier meetings, QBRs, and select industry events. 

• Experience in AV, low-voltage, security, or related B2B distribution categories. 
• Hands-on experience with supplier QBR preparation, pricing administration, or program management. 
• Exposure to joint business planning, rebate negotiation, or contract administration. 
• Strong financial acumen including familiarity with margin, mix, forecasting, and working capital concepts. 
• Process-oriented mindset. 
• Comfort with AI-assisted reporting and analytical tools. 
• Curiosity about the AV category and a desire to grow into a full Category Strategist role. 
• Project management skills and the ability to juggle multiple supplier initiatives concurrently. 

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