Commodity Group Manager

About the Company

The Kendall Group is a 100% employee-owned company comprised of eight divisions with 75+ locations in ten states, serving the Electrical, Automation, Pipe, Valve, Fitting, Steam, Lighting, Industrial Controls, and Instrumentation industries. With a strong employee ownership model, Kendall fosters a culture where associates own their future, contribute ideas, and grow through coaching and mentoring. Over 60% of associates have more than 5 years of tenure, and 40% have over 10 years, reflecting a supportive and long-term career environment.

About the Role

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, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration. This role involves significant engagement with the sales team and ownership of relationships with commodity partners, positioning it as a key sales and supplier engagement role. Responsibilities include planning and executing the overall commodity strategy, building trusted partner relationships, and shaping pricing, inventory, and service strategies. The role also focuses on monitoring supplier compliance, mitigating risks, and fostering continuous improvement to enhance value, reduce costs, and secure long-term partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, growth, and mentoring to the team of Regional Commodity Managers.
• Adhere to company values: 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 continuous improvement, learning, and development.
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers, negotiate contracts, and manage supplier performance to ensure optimal pricing, quality, and product availability.
• Work closely with sales, marketing, and operations teams to align category strategies with overall business goals.
• 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 projects.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with vendors and regional rep agencies.
• Develop procurement strategies for electrical commodities and negotiate the best possible price and terms with suppliers.
• Conduct market research to stay updated on industry trends, pricing fluctuations, and competitor offerings.
• Collaborate with internal teams to understand supply needs and ensure seamless procurement processes.
• Interact with sales managers and territory/location managers to understand market trends and develop local strategies for profitable growth.
• 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 KPIs, reporting quarterly results and trends to the team.
• Provide technical solutions to account managers and support vendor and industry events.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 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 a people management role.
• Associate’s degree in a related field or equivalent business and industry experience.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a multi-regional procurement strategy.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office products, especially Excel.
• Understanding of inventory calculations, forecasting, and modeling.
• Strong understanding of commodities markets and ability to plan purchases based on cost averaging, replacement cost, and market prices, including understanding income and balance sheet impacts.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to multi-task, shift priorities, and work in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Ability to work effectively across the division, partnering with senior leadership and shared services teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage all levels of the organization.
• Ability to travel up to 30%.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in commodity management.
• Previous experience developing and executing a multi-regional procurement strategy.
• Bachelor’s degree.

Skills

• Customer Focus
• Results and 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

Physical and Environmental Requirements

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Ability to see, talk, and hear.
• Ability to sit for 8 hours a day.
• Normal office environment; occasional exposure to warehouse, fabrication environments, and moving equipment.