RS Pro Director

About RS Group

Across the industrial design, manufacturing and maintenance worlds, we’re the digital destination for product and service solutions to help our customers with the maintenance, repair and operation of their businesses. We provide global access to an unrivalled range of over 750,000 stocked industrial products. Each day our team of experts deliver solutions to resolve our customer’s challenges across design, procurement, inventory and maintenance. We consistently strive to deliver the best possible service to all of our customers and challenge ourselves to provide a seamless procurement experience.

We are one team. We deliver brilliantly. We do the right thing. We make every day better. These are our values. They unite our c.9,000 global colleagues and differentiate us from our competition. They are a mix of how we work today and how we must step up for the future. Most importantly, it is one set of values shaped by our people, for our people.

Together, we can make great things happen. Aim for amazing and beyond.

About the Role

Role Purpose

RS Americas is seeking a strategic and experienced Director for it’s own brand, RS Pro. The Director will be responsible for developing and executing strategic, operational, and tactical plans to vastly expand our RS PRO product offering from 1% of sales to 5%+ of sales over the next 5 years across the Americas by leveraging the global products, experiences, and capabilities of RS globally.  In this role they will work closely with our sales, marketing, product and operational teams to serve our high value customer segments with the right mix of sales support, products, and solutions to expand our overall value proposition and margins. This role requires a visionary, collaborative leader with strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of market trends to drive product success and achieve business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Product Strategy and Planning:
  • Develop and implement comprehensive “own brand” strategies that align with overall business goals.
  • Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify opportunities and threats.
  • Define product roadmaps and prioritize products and value propositions based on customer needs and market demand.
  • Leading our strategic initiatives and project delivery to ensure in full end to end delivery against strategi objectives.
• Product Development and Management:
  • Lead cross-functional teams, including sourcing, marketing and sales, and work in collaboration with the global team on procurement and supplier management.
  • Oversee the product lifecycle from introduction to end-of-life, ensuring timely and successful product launches and retirements.
  • Monitor product performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize product and solution offerings and value propositions.
• Customer and Market Focus:
  • Engage with customers to gather feedback and insights to inform product portfolio. Alongside data insights to support strategic product direction.
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including suppliers  and partners and the Global RS PRO team.
  • Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure product relevance and competitiveness through the use of data and AI automation and machine learning.
  • Monitor pricing and competitiveness trends and optimize product adoption and profitability. 
• Financial Management:
  • Develop and manage product line budgets, including revenue and margin forecasts and cost analysis.
  • Track and report on product line performance metrics, including sales, profitability, and market share.
  • Identify and implement procurement and cost-saving initiatives to improve product line profitability.
  • Provide transparency to group with, project updates, opportunities, challenge, and risk and build into Strategic, Quarterly and monthly reviews & planning.
• Team Leadership:
  • Lead, mentor, and develop the RS PRO team fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
  • Provide guidance and support to team members to achieve individual and team goals.
  • Promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the product management team.
  • Build seamless collaboration and market growth focus with global RS PRO team, Americas P&L leaders, and Sales, Marketing, Solutions, and Product teams.

Candidate Requirements

Essential Skills & Experience

Key Expectations:

• Lead and inspire the RS Pro team to deliver outstanding business results in the Americas region.
• Represent the Americas region as part of the global RS Pro Leadership team.
• Coach and manage the team to build talent capability for current and future business needs.
• Promote innovation and continuous improvement across the team.
• Partner with the Product Management & Supplier Management, Sales, and Marketing teams to:
• Align existing product ranges within categories, position, and price.
• Oversee a world-class, regionally relevant new product introduction process.
• Maintain a private label inventory turns target that keeps pace with projected growth.
• Engage the regional sales force in selling the RS Pro brand.
• Optimize the online digital marketing strategy.
• Drive strategic branding activities regarding acquisitions of private label business.
• Identify and exploit new markets, products, and technologies.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred, but equivalent employment history may be considered in lieu of educational recognition.
• 7+ years of experience in commercial or new product roles, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Financial acumen including P&L, balance sheet and cashflow understanding.
• Proven track record of successfully managing product lines and driving business growth.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in product management tools and software.
   

Core Values:

• One Team: Collaborate effectively with colleagues across departments and regions to achieve common goals.
• Deliver Brilliantly: Strive for excellence in all aspects of product management, from strategy to execution.
• Do the Right Thing: Act with integrity and transparency in all interactions and decisions.
• Make Everyday Better: Continuously seek opportunities to improve products, processes, and customer experiences.

Equal Employment Opportunity

RS Americas is an equal opportunity employer and maintains policies and practices that are designed to prevent and prohibit unlawful discrimination against any qualified employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, military/veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other unlawful classification to the extent protected by law. This policy of non-discrimination applies to all employment practices, including hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, training and termination. Employees who engage in unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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