Director of Category Management & Vendor Relations – MRCOOL

Location: Hickory, KY

Employment Type: Full-time

Company: MRCOOL®, LLC

About MRCOOL

MRCOOL® is a fast-growing consumer goods company disrupting the HVAC industry with innovative, DIY-friendly heating and cooling solutions. Headquartered in Hickory, Kentucky, MRCOOL is committed to making comfort simple through thoughtful design, technology, and customer-first products.

Position Overview

The Director of Category Management & Vendor Relations owns the full commercial relationship with MRCOOL’s vendor partners – from contract negotiation and pricing architecture to SKU performance and channel strategy. This role is the primary interface between MRCOOL and its key suppliers, responsible for securing favorable terms, protecting margin, and driving category growth across all sales channels. The ideal candidate brings deep experience negotiating supplier contracts, setting and defending pricing, and managing vendor accountability at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end vendor relationships: serve as the primary point of contact and accountable lead for all key supplier partnerships.
• Lead contract negotiation: draft, negotiate, and execute supplier agreements covering pricing, payment terms, exclusivity, rebates, co-op funding, and performance guarantees.
• Set and manage pricing architecture: establish and maintain pricing strategy across product categories, channels, and customer tiers; defend margin targets through vendor negotiations and cost management.
• Drive cost reduction and term improvement: proactively identify opportunities to improve COGS, freight terms, and vendor-funded support through structured negotiation cycles.
• Manage category performance: own SKU-level P&L, assortment decisions, and sell-through analytics across eCommerce, retail, dealer, and distributor channels.
• Enforce vendor compliance: hold suppliers accountable to agreed terms, pricing commitments, delivery performance, and product quality standards.
• Collaborate cross-functionally: partner with Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, Legal, and Marketing to align vendor strategy with business objectives.
• Support new product commercialization: negotiate pricing and terms for new SKUs and product launches; manage lifecycle transitions including end-of-life and replacement planning.
• Build and lead a high-performing category management team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 8+ years of category management, vendor management, or commercial buying experience – ideally in HVAC, home improvement, consumer goods, or a related product category.
• Demonstrated track record of leading complex supplier contract negotiations, including pricing, rebates, co-op terms, and exclusivity provisions.
• Deep expertise in pricing strategy, margin management, and cost structure analysis.
• Experience managing vendor relationships at the Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco, or comparable big-box/national retail level strongly preferred.
• Strong financial acumen: comfortable building business cases, analyzing category P&Ls, and translating data into negotiation strategy.
• Proven people leadership experience.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Why MRCOOL

• High-impact leadership role.
• Innovative, fast-growing brand.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• Entrepreneurial culture.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Category management: 8 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Hickory, KY 42051