IB Competitive Product Specialist - Interline Brands

POSITION PURPOSE

Interline Brands is seeking a candidate with strong product knowledge to join as a key contributor to the Sales Strategy & Pricing team. The candidate will contribute to the team’s focus on enhancing data and tools across our organization, with the goal to improve our knowledge and use of competitive intelligence.

The Product Specialist, Sales Strategy & Pricing will report directly to the Competitive Intelligence Senior Analyst, and will focus on gathering competitive data to increase sales, market analysis and strategic decision making across our organization. This person will be comfortable working independently and across functions within the org. This position requires close coordination with Pricing Strategy, Sales, Merchandising and IDW/IT teams.

The Product Specialist, Sales Strategy & Pricing will be responsible for delivering regular updates and tracking on the various projects they will be delivering. In addition, the candidate will be accountable for identifying and escalating roadblocks that might cause delay to projects.

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MAJOR TASKS, RESPONSIBILITES AND KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
20%- Mine, analyze, interpret, and apply competitive intelligence data for business planning, decision-making, and recommendations to management
20%- Provide insight into competitor trends affecting the business and communicate findings to various teams; develop analytical reports to track competitive data effectiveness and performance by end market, competitor, price point and/or use case
20%- Provide competitive cross data and support to brand leaders to help facilitate hitting plan; collaborate with internal crossing teams to align efforts to increase the collection and distribution of competitive material
20%- Provide continuous monitoring and improvement of competitive data integrity on all systems
10%- Assist Merchants with category review processes including gathering competitive and market intelligence, public financial reporting, and development of presentations
10%- Provide meeting support including deck prep and competitive data consolidation
NATURE AND SCOPE
Reports to Director of Pricing Strategy. Has no direct reports.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOB REQUIREMENTS
Environment:
Located in a comfortable indoor area. Any unpleasant conditions would be infrequent and not objectionable.
Travel:
Typically requires overnight travel less than 10% of the time.
Additional Environmental Job Requirements: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Must be eighteen years of age or older.
Must be legally permitted to work in the United States.
Additional Minimum Qualifications:
Understand products, brands, and end-markets to effectively cross products and convert sales
Research, deliver, and maintain competitive data using internal cross database applications
Deliver clear, concise, effective communication throughout the competitive cross request process
Demonstrated excellence in providing customer service to both internal and external customers
Operate with a strong sense of urgency 

Education Required:
The knowledge, skills and abilities typically acquired through the completion of a bachelor's degree program or equivalent degree in a field of study related to the job.
Years of Relevant Work Experience: 3 years
Physical Requirements:
Most of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position and there is frequent opportunity to move about. On rare occasions there may be a need to move or lift light articles.
Additional Qualifications:
Mine, analyze, interpret, and apply competitive intelligence data for business planning, decision-making, and recommendations to management
Provide insight into competitor trends affecting the business and communicate findings to various teams
Develop analytical reports to track competitive data effectiveness and performance by end market, competitor, price point and/or use case
Provide competitive cross data and support to brand leaders to help facilitate hitting plan
Collaborate with internal crossing teams to align efforts to increase the collection and distribution of competitive material
Provide continuous monitoring and improvement of competitive data integrity on all systems
Assist Merchants with category review processes including gathering competitive and market intelligence, public financial reporting, and development of presentations
Provide meeting support including deck prep and competitive data consolidation
Preferred Qualifications:
Excellent product knowledge for cross reference and pricing purposes (plumbing, electrical, hardware, tools, HVAC and/or janitorial/sanitation) or demonstrated ability to learn quickly
Ability to quickly digest product information with the goal of making complex data easy for others to understand
Intermediate Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Highly organized and detail oriented
Ability to manage multiple projects and meet critical deadlines
Self-starter and ability to work independently
Bachelor’s degree


Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies:
Strong core skills including strategic thinking, problem solving, and analytical proficiency
Ability to quickly assimilate and digest information while making complex issues easy for others to understand
Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel
Ability to interact with various levels of management
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Highly organized and detail oriented
Ability to manage multiple projects and meet critical deadlines
Self-starter and ability to work independently