Vendor Program Manager

Be part of a growing successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned which means youre empowered to make decisions find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.

This position will be located in : Fargo ND

Application Deadline : November 10 2025.

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

Job Summary

Provides focused core category leadership and direction manages and executes effective category strategies secures strategic vendor alignment to increase sales and grow profits. Works with all Category Directors to track maintain and provide guidance on opportunities to maximize all vendor programs. Negotiates terms and programs with vendors and reps. Identifies strategy development and ownership of major category trends and initiatives. Develops communicates and maintains strategic vendor alignment strategies and platforms. Develops category plans vendor performance plans share of wallet analysis and supports business development with target categories.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Develops assigned category strategy plan.
• Ensures growth and profitability of category sales.
• Create and maintain vendor programs within vendor program tracking software
• Develops vendor program reporting
• Communicates opportunities for program enhancements and growth to both Category Team as well as Regional Leadership.
• Communicates opportunities to maximize Reward programs to appropriate business units.
• Ensures category health by understanding and monitoring profitability reducing risk and streamlining alignments.
• Develops vendor evaluations and approvals.
• Develops vendor alignment grids for assigned categories to ensure profitability.
• Develops vendor segmentation strategy.
• Regularly meets with key vendors and jointly prepares strategies for the company on key assigned product lines in collaboration with all departments.
• Negotiates and ensures renewal and collects vendor rebate payments for assigned vendors.
• Negotiates terms and conditions for assigned vendor agreements.
• Develops cost methodology for assigned vendors.
• Develops category and subcategory plans for category reviews.
• Addresses escalated issues related to price level mis-delivery branch authorization and partner collaboration as it relates to our vendors relationship.
• Leads collaboration between all departments in reviews and vendor performance planning.
• Leads product line conversions and vendor consolidation processes.

Non-essential Functions

Qualifications

Skills and Abilities

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry / lift in a typical day :

Occasionally 0 33% Frequently34 66% Continuously : 67 100%

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day :

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employers discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Our History

Border States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with approximately 130 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers needs which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.

Values

As a Border States employee-owner youre responsible for living our mission service philosophy and service standards.

Our Purpose

We believe unstoppable businesses shouldnt go it alone. We are owners - of relationships of outcomes of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

Service Philosophy

We earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.

Service Standards

Border States employee-owners are competent accurate responsive and engaged .

Your career

Join an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for

Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to :

Health Dental and Vision Benefits

Accident Critical Illness Hospital Indemnity

FSA & HSA

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Disability Benefits

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Holidays

Paid Volunteer Time

Personal Leave time and more!

Border States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.

Equal Opportunity For All

Its not just the something weve believed in since our value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.

Drug Free / Smoke Free workplace

Employment may be contingent on the offered candidate successfully passing one or more of the following pre-employment screenings :

The MVR check and drug testing vary by role and will be communicated to the offered candidate during the onboarding process and as applicable.

Required Experience :

Manager

Key Skills

Presentation Skills,Purchasing,Procurement,Vendor Management,Process Improvement,Pricing,Project Management,Relationship Management,Contract Management,Contract Negotiation,negotiation,Contracts

Employment Type : Full Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1