Vice President, Electrical and Plumbing & Heating Divisions - Canada


Fully Remote Job


Last Day to Apply: April 03, 2021

Position Summary:

The Vice President, Electrical and Plumbing & Heating Divisions – Canada is responsible for developing product and supplier strategy, managing and negotiating supplier programs, serving as an advocate and developing and/or maintaining positive relationships with all existing and potential suppliers in the Canadian Electrical Division. They will lead the effort of the Canadian Electrical Division to increase earnings (rebates), improve member market competitiveness vs national chains, and develop and execute plans and strategies to enhance AD’s value to the member and supplier community.

Additionally, the role will be responsible for maintaining positive relationships with our Canadian Electrical and Plumbing & Heating members, supporting them and helping them increase their participation with AD's programs and services, and driving critical member behaviors. 

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing the Electrical Division – Canada supplier strategy consistent with Divisional Board direction.
    • Lead supplier recruiting efforts.
    • Lead supplier category reviews in support of the supplier strategy.
    • Negotiate supplier agreements that leverage the spend across the division to ensure earnings maximization and program uniformity across the division.
    • Create, implement and lead the divisional Product Committee.
      • Review and approve prospective suppliers consistent with divisional governance.
      • Identify issues of concern with existing suppliers and recommend corrective action.
      • Ensure endorsement and support of strategic initiatives (sponsorships, AD Rewards, etc.)
    • Lead/coordinate Supplier Advisory Council responsibilities and activities.
    • Provide key initiative updates to the Divisional Board.
  • Take divisional lead on developing and executing plan to help suppliers grow their business with members (e.g., AD Rewards, sponsorships, etc.).
  • Oversee and manage new supplier onboarding to ensure consistency, effectiveness, and adoption in keeping with AD’s expectations. Train new and existing suppliers on AD’s value proposition and operations to help them succeed and grow.
  • Manage and negotiate supplier programs [agreements, rebates, terms and conditions, Growth Incentive Bonus Program (GIBP), Vendor Published Programs (VPP), etc.]
  • Analyze rebate data with AD’s Finance Department. Identify opportunities for improvement, determine action plan, and execute.
  • Support the eCommerce Team to ensure AD suppliers across the division understand the value of and participate in (and provide required data for) the eCommerce Program.
  • Work with the AD Rewards Program Manager to ensure effective rollout and compliance to the program by AD suppliers across the division.
  • Manage relationships with all existing and potential suppliers:
    • Develop industry leading, preferential supplier relationships.
    • Work with preferred suppliers and Divisional Marketing to create “AD only” promotions to increase supplier sales through members, track results.
    • Identify and develop supplier groups for new vertical segments.
    • Work with preferred suppliers to develop strategies to drive the conversion of member purchases to AD preferred suppliers.
    • Act as a liaison between supplyFORCE and preferred suppliers to improve supplier support of supplyFORCE.
    • Educate suppliers about supplyFORCE/National Account opportunities.
    • Take an advocacy position on behalf of members with suppliers and on behalf of suppliers with members as needed.
  • Lead divisional participation, from a supplier interface position, with trade associations and groups.
  • Alert suppliers to potential opportunities with members and assist in conflict resolution.
  • Work with Financial Programs to develop and maintain reports, as needed, to effectively evaluate supplier performance, trends and maximize earnings.

Additional Responsibilities:

  • Work closely with owners of AD programs such as market planning, networking, meeting planning, marketing, eCommerce and other AD programs – to communicate, educate and maximize Canadian Electrical and Plumbing & Heating members’ participation in those programs.
  • Provide support and participate in member business review meetings including preparation of business review deck, facilitating member review meetings, and execution of follow-up action items. Be a resource to members.
  • Help prepare for, attend/participate in, and provide support during divisional meetings. In conjunction with President, AD Canada, support key decision-making committees such as Product Committee, Supplier Advisory Council and future committees or advisory councils that could be created in a manner consistent with approved AD processes.
  • Work with corporate and divisional teams to assist in all marketing opportunities including member and supplier communications.
  • Assist with recruiting new members.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Strong personal leadership, energy profile, and a bias for action.
  • Executive presence.
  • Ability to build and maintain positive, long-term, “preferential” relationships.
  • Strong drive, work ethic, and ability to work well independently.
  • Strong degree of personal accountability/ownership.
  • High attention to detail and documentation.
  • Ability to successfully facilitate meetings. Listens, assimilates opposing views, and build consensus with high-powered individuals (senior distributor and supplier executives).
  • Ability to successfully execute against the above consensus.
  • Ability to successfully communicate, negotiate, and resolve conflict at the senior executive level. (Ability to be forceful, but diplomatic and find the win-win).
  • Ability to build and maintain a personal network of respected members and suppliers who provide ideas, feedback, counsel, and guidance.
  • Ability to deliver results through teamwork. (Proven ability to build and lead a cross-functional team).
  • Ability to “marshal resources” when necessary in order to achieve objectives, including a keen understanding as to when this is or isn’t necessary.
  • A demonstrable and consistent record of achieving worthy business goals.
  • Results oriented, but not at the expense of alienating members/suppliers by not getting the needed group buy-in and support.
  • Very strong and effective interpersonal and telephone communication skills.
  • Curious learner.
  • Above average written communication skills.
  • Good presentation / speaking skills. Comfortable in front of large groups.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in business or related business experience. A candidate’s formal education and degree is secondary to their work.
  • At least 10-years of experience in the Canadian Electrical market.
  • 5+ years’ experience working within an Electrical distributor. Ideally has had a successful tenure in general and/or purchasing management with a large Electrical distributor. Experience in program negotiation, and familiarity with Electrical products.
  • Familiarity and a solid reputation for integrity, results, and competency with many of our Electrical suppliers and members.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of supplier rebate and or incentive programs with success in negotiating positive deals that drive distributor performance and supplier ROI.
  • Successful experience in implementing, managing, selling a service, program, and/or a concept (AD is not a product).
  • Ideally have a combination of large company and small company career experience. (Have the organizational skills and training one receives from a large company, but be able to operate in an entrepreneurial environment where there is little staff support).
  • “Working knowledge” of E-Commerce, specifically E-Content requirements for effective web presence.
  • Intermediate to advanced MS Office skills (Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint).
  • Technically competent with CRM software such as Salesforce.
  • Bilingual – English and French Canadian – preferred.

Additional Comments:

  • This position is based in Ontario.
  • Travel required: 30-40%
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