Category Manager

Company Description

For over 30 years, KSI Auto Parts has been supplying premium aftermarket collision parts and providing the highest quality customer service. We believe what makes us stand out and rise above the competition is our dedication to our customer' and employee's satisfaction. We stand by our motto, “One Team, One Goal” and are on the search for talented individuals who want to make an impact in our organization. We value our employees and want to invest in their development and growth. If you have the same goals in mind, please apply, we'd love to have you join the team at KSI!

Job Description

As Category Manager, you will partner with counterparts in Taiwan to lead our efforts for sourcing, pricing, sales, marketing, and promotions for our automotive aftermarket parts. The successful candidate will contribute to the profitability of KSI by increasing the volume of products sold and by improving the speed of inventory turnover. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee procurement, pricing, and organization of category products; determine competitive pricing and promotional activities of each product category to maximize visibility and exit strategies for unsuccessful products
• Negotiate payment terms, pricing, delivery, etc.
• Coordinate the budget development and revenue for each category; continuously identify areas of cost savings through budget planning
• Maintain updated inventory information in our ERP system including pricing information, primary and secondary suppliers, product availability, etc.
• Vet appropriate suppliers, visit supplier sites, and select suppliers based on the quality of products and potential benefit to KSI
• Build and strengthen relationships with suppliers to achieve better pricing and quality of services; expand product categories
• Coordinate the cross-functional collaboration between all departments, including Sales, Procurement, Accounting, and Operations, to ensure our operational activities and inventory purchases are streamlined
• Analyze various reports and data to determine industry and consumer trends and KSI performance, present findings and recommendations to the senior leadership team
• Manage the yearly Request for Quote (RFQ) process; partner with suppliers, review bids, analyze data and make recommendations to improve our category management function
• Partner with the Sales team to solicit customer feedback of inventory products based on sales and returns; adjust category purchases as necessary
• Attend trade conferences (both domestic and international); network and build relationships with industry suppliers to position KSI as a top industry player
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Supply Chain, Sales or Marketing or equivalent work experience
• At least 5 years of category management experience in the aftermarket automotive collision repair parts industry, particularly in a geographically distributed environment
• Effective negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to achieve better deals and value-added results for KSI while maintaining a strong relationship
• Strong technical skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office (Power Bi, Excel, Power Point), SQL, Python
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to provide accurate, thorough, and consistent information when accomplishing company initiatives
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written
• Incredible customer service skills and the passion to help people by listening intently and resolving their needs in a professional and timely manner
• Excellent critical thinking skills and the ability to effectively solve problems
• Ability to travel as needed, including international travel (approximately 15%)

Not required but nice to have: 

• Familiarity with Microsoft Navision ERP
• Bilingual in Mandarin

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  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 disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The employee frequently is required to sit and  is occasionally required to stand and walk.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. 

MEDICAL REQUIREMENT:  KSI Auto Parts has a Covid-19 vaccination policy for all its employees, requiring all to be either fully vaccinated by the first day of work or have provided documentation requesting a medical or religious exemption to the policy.

KSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer- M/F/Disabled/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

You can read more about us on our Company Page or follow us on  Facebook,  Instagram, & LinkedIn.