Category/Product Manager - Safety

Build Your Career with a National Organization Where Your Expertise Makes an Impact:

Source Atlantic, The Bolt Supply House, and Soucie Salo have united to form a national leader in industrial distribution and services. With 600+ employees, 34 branches, and access to over 4,000 global suppliers, we provide specialized technical services, innovative business solutions, and connected solutions through the strategic use of technology and data-driven insights, to empower customers across Canada and beyond. Rooted in resilience, guided by a strong commitment to quality, and fueled by innovation, we are shaping a future of smarter, faster, more connected solutions.

Position Overview:

Reporting to the VP – Operations & Supply Chain, the Product Manager, Safety is responsible for the strategic and commercial management of the Safety product category. As a member of the Product Management team, this role owns category performance, product assortment, supplier relationships and product lifecycle decisions, while serving as the primary product resource for Sales and branches.

The successful candidate combines strong commercial and analytical skills with practical knowledge of safety products and applications. They are highly collaborative & comfortable working with suppliers and internal stakeholders, using customer, market and financial insights to make data-driven assortment decisions and develop and execute category strategies that grow sales, improve gross margin, optimize inventory and strengthen the company's position in the safety market.

This role can be fully remote, hybrid or based in office. Home location is flexible for any metropolitan area in which Source Atlantic / Bolt Supply House / Soucie Salo operates, however, preference would be one of the below:

• Calgary, AB
• Saint John, NB
• Halifax, NS

Responsibilities:

Category Strategy & Performance

• Develop and execute an annual category plan with targets for sales, gross margin and inventory productivity.
• Monitor category performance and identify opportunities and gaps by product line, branch and supplier.
• Track customer demand, market trends and competitive activity and translate insights into category and assortment decisions.
• Identify opportunities to grow the category, improve product mix and strengthen profitability.

Product & Assortment Management

• Own the Safety product assortment, including product and brand selection, new product introductions and product rationalization.
• Evaluate and optimize the product range to ensure appropriate market coverage while reducing unnecessary SKU and supplier complexity.
• Manage product lifecycle decisions, including new launches, product transitions and retirement of slow-moving or obsolete products.
• Ensure product information, attributes, descriptions, pack sizes and units of measure are complete and accurate in partnership with Data Maintenance.

Supplier & Brand Management

• Lead relationships with key Safety suppliers and brands, including line reviews, annual programs, rebates, marketing funds and commercial terms.
• Partner with the Safety Buyer on supply, lead times, purchasing opportunities and inventory requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, category economics and overall commercial value.
• Work with Pricing & Analytics to support competitive pricing, margin protection and category profitability.

Sales Enablement & Technical Expertise

• Serve as the subject-matter expert for Sales and branches on Safety products, applications and category opportunities.
• Support customer meetings, product trials, site assessments and other sales activities as required.
• Develop and deliver product training and sales enablement materials to improve product knowledge and selling effectiveness.
• Maintain current working knowledge of applicable Canadian safety standards and regulations, including CSA and provincial OHS requirements, as well as relevant ANSI/ISEA standards.
• Provide guidance to Sales and branches on product selection and application.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in product management, category management, purchasing, technical sales or a related commercial role, ideally within PPE, industrial safety or industrial distribution.
• Working knowledge of key PPE categories, including head, eye, hearing, hand, respiratory, fall protection and high-visibility apparel.
• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Business, Supply Chain, Occupational Health & Safety or a related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• CRSP, CHSC or similar safety designation is an asset.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills, with the ability to understand and act on sales, margin and inventory performance.
• Demonstrated supplier negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Strong understanding of product assortment, category economics and lifecycle management.
• Ability to influence Sales, branches, suppliers and cross-functional partners without direct authority.
• Strong communication, relationship-building and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with Excel and experience working with ERP, BI or other product/category analytics tools is an asset.

Working Conditions:

• This position offers the flexibility to work fully remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, however, the employee must be based in or near a metropolitan area in which Source Atlantic / Bolt Supply House operates
• Candidate must be ready & able to travel approximately ~15% travel across Canada.

In accordance with provincial wage transparency requirements, the expected base compensation for this position is $90,000-$120,000/year (or more) depending on experience, technical competencies, certifications, and qualifications.

Unveiling Your Perks:

Secure your place in our dynamic, permanent team, where long-term growth meets everyday impact. Unlock a compelling array of benefits:

• Competitive compensation that recognizes your worth.
• A flexible health, drug, and dental plan tailored to your well-being.
• An employer-matching retirement savings plan for your financial security.
• Additional life and disability insurance options for peace of mind.
• Confidential access to an Employee Family Assistance Program (EAP) that supports your holistic welfare.
• An enriched vacation entitlement schedule for a balanced life.
• Participate in our physical fitness reimbursement program, championing your vitality.