Who We Are Working at Reece & Fortiline means being part of a growing global company that brings our purpose and values to life every day. We celebrate our team members living our values and provide opportunities to build a long and remarkable career. We’re proud to support essential industries helping bring clean air and water to everyone. To learn more about our purpose and values, visit our career site at https://careers.reece.com/us/ The Director of Category Management – Pipes & Fittings is responsible for leading the end-to-end strategy, performance, and profitability of the pipes and fittings product category within a plumbing wholesale distribution environment. This role is instrumental in driving growth, improving margins, optimizing inventory, and strengthening supplier relationships. The ideal candidate brings deep technical and commercial expertise in pipe and fitting products, including PVC, PEX, copper, cast iron, and steel systems used in residential, commercial, and industrial plumbing applications. OUR PURPOSE To improve the lives of our customers and our people by striving for greatness every day Key Responsibilities Category Strategy & Execution • Develop and own the category strategy for pipes and fittings, aligned with market trends, customer demand, and company objectives. • Maintain a competitive, profitable, and regionally relevant assortment of pipes, fittings, valves, and accessories. • Conduct SKU rationalization and lifecycle planning to ensure optimized inventory. • Own pricing architecture across all pipe and fitting categories, balancing margin goals with market competitiveness. • Negotiate terms, rebates, marketing support, and supply agreements with manufacturers and key vendors (e.g., Charlotte Pipe, NIBCO, Uponor, etc.). • Partner with finance and branch leadership to manage profitability at the category and SKU level. • Work with the supply chain to maintain optimal inventory levels and reduce stockouts or overstock risks. • Partner with Sales and Operations to recommend new product introductions and end-of-life phase-outs. • Evaluate and onboard new suppliers to fill portfolio gaps or drive innovation. Cross-Functional Collaboration • Act as the subject matter expert for pipes and fittings across sales, marketing, operations, and training teams. • Support sales enablement by providing product knowledge resources, pricing strategies, and promotional guidance. • Collaborate with the digital/e-commerce team to ensure accurate product content and merchandising online. Leadership & Team Development • Embrace the company purpose and live the values. • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) • Year-over-year category sales growth • Gross margin performance by product line • Inventory turnover and availability • Rebate capture and vendor performance metrics • SKU rationalization progress • Supplier on-time delivery and service levels Qualifications Education & Experience • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field (MBA a plus). • 8+ years of experience in category management or procurement in the plumbing or building materials sector. • Deep product knowledge of pipes and fittings (materials, standards, applications). • Experience working with contractors, distributors, or manufacturer reps. Skills & Competencies • Strong analytical and negotiation skills with a data-driven approach to decision-making. • Proven ability to manage complex vendor portfolios and category P&Ls. • Effective communicator with strong influencing skills across departments and senior leadership. • Proficient in ERP and analytics platforms (e.g., Eclipse, Power BI, ). Following is a list of physical and mental requirements identified as necessary to achieve the essential functions of this role: • Attendance – Ability to maintain the scheduled days and hours, including onsite presence at the assigned location as specified. • Physical Capacities – Lift up to 25 pounds on occasion, sitting and standing for extended periods. • Operation of Office Equipment — Job requires operation of equipment common to office settings, including computers, copiers, and other office equipment, including Near Vision, Manual Dexterity, and working in proximity to equipment. • Oral Communication Skills – Speaking, Speech Clarity, and Speech Recognition. • Written Communication Skills – Writing, Reading and Written Comprehension, and Written Expression. • Mental Capacities – Achievement/Effort, Active Listening, Adaptability/Flexibility, Analytical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Category Flexibility, Concern for Others, Cooperation and Coordination, Critical Thinking, Deductive Reasoning, Dependability, Independence, Inductive Reasoning, Information Ordering, Initiative, Innovation, Maintenance of Relationships, Integrity, Oral Comprehension and Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Selective Attention, Self-Control, Service Orientation, Social Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Stress Tolerance, Support, and Time Management. Our commitment to excellent customer service is just part of our story. We’re also dedicated to supporting our most valuable asset, our associates! One of the ways we do this is by offering a variety of high-quality benefits for our associates and their families. All Full-time Associates Are Eligible For The Following Benefits • Medical and Dental Insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts • Company-paid Life Insurance • Short Term Disability • 401(k) Plan • Paid Time Off (PTO) - plus paid holidays • Parental Leave Voluntary Benefits • Vision • Long-term Disability • Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance • Additional Voluntary Benefits through Corestream We're an equal opportunity employer and we welcome diversity and inclusion! Reece USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer— Employer Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, National Origin, and any other status protected by law.