Wurth Baer Supply Company is one of the nation's leading specialty wholesale distributors to the woodworking industry, offering an extensive inventory of decorative and functional hardware, board & panel products, woodworking machinery, surfacing materials, tools and shop supplies. The company generates over $400M in annual revenue and operates 29 distribution locations across the Upper Midwest, Midwest, Ohio Valley, East, and Northeastern United States. Wurth Baer Supply Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Wurth Group, a €20B+ privately held company headquartered in Künzelsau, Germany, with 450+ companies in over 80 countries.
Position Summary:
The Associate Product Manager will lead all product management activities, including vendor relations, competitive analysis, product positioning, pricing strategy, and new product development for our Laminate, Board/Panel, and Edgebanding categories. This role is responsible for managing a product line to achieve or exceed revenue and profit goals for both Würth Baer Supply Company and Würth Louis and Company.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement comprehensive product marketing programs to drive revenue and margin growth.
- Assess market segments to determine the best product strategies for increasing utilization, penetration, and growth.
- Collaborate with the marketing team to develop demand generation programs, training seminars, and sales collateral.
- Identify and introduce new product opportunities to meet revenue and margin targets.
- Serve as the primary liaison between Würth Baer Supply Company/Würth Louis and Company and vendors within assigned product categories.
- Engage vendors in discussions regarding sales performance, promotional plans, and marketing strategies.
- Conduct competitive analysis and respond to market threats proactively.
- Assist in annual and long-term strategic business planning for product lines.
- Develop and implement market development plans in coordination with regional marketing teams.
- Support the sales process by training both Inside and Outside Sales teams on products and strategies.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- 3 to 5 years of experience in Product Management, Category Management, or Marketing Management.
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing or equivalent experience.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.
- SAP experience a plus.
- Proven experience in launching programs and products.
Key Competencies:
- Creative and dynamic mindset.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to drive market development efforts.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Team-oriented with a disciplined and structured approach.
- Experience handling technical product-related issues.
- Familiarity with e-commerce technologies and the digital marketplace.
Location: Würth Baer Supply Company - 909 Forest Edge Drive - Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Excellent Culture: This is a company where you can be yourself with a fun and upbeat culture.
Long-Tenured Employees: Many of our employees have been here for 15 to 30+ years.
Room for Growth: Würth Baer Supply Company is part of the Würth Group of Germany, a privately held company netting over $20 billion annually with a long legacy of promoting from within.
Comfortable Interview Process: Conversational and transparent.
Compensation: $70k to $85k annual salary range based on experience.
Pre-Employment Screening: We test for all forms of THC at this company. Testing positive for THC on a pre-employment drug screen will disqualify you.
Job Type: Direct Hire to WBSC. No agencies. No contracts. No third parties. Full time with benefits and PTO.
Benefits
- Bundled consumer-driven Medical (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Dental (Aetna), and Vision (VSP) pricing. New hires receive full access to benefits the 1st of the month following date of hire.
- 401(k) with matching program starts immediately. Company will match half of the first 5% of annual compensation.
- 8 paid company holidays
- 2 weeks’ vacation (0 to 5 years), 3 weeks’ vacation (5 to 10 years), 4 weeks’ vacation (10 to 15 years), 5 weeks’ vacation (15+ years)
- Sick time that is not excessive or categorized under special medical leave will not come out of your vacation time – honor system for salaried employees
- Tuition reimbursement program
- Referral program
- Employee discount
Equal Opportunity Employer
- Würth Baer Supply Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
