Category / Product Manager - Personal Protection Equipment Expert

The PPE Product Manager will expand PPE offerings and serve as the subject matter expert for assigned product categories. This role collaborates with sales and cross-functional teams to guide product selection, data quality, lifecycle management, and project execution, primarily in the U.S. market while leveraging global data and documentation requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary resource to the sales team for PPE products.
• Collaborate with account managers to uncover and develop opportunities to grow PPE indirect sales within existing customer accounts.
• Support the development of PPE product knowledge across the sales organization.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to sales representatives as needed.
• Act as the subject matter expert for the assigned product categories, related systems, and intercompany cooperation.
• Offer guidance on product selection, sourcing options, and technical specifications.
• Lead product lifecycle management and SKU/supplier rationalization initiatives.
• Own PPE product data quality across PIM and ERP platforms (such as SAP and Prophet 21), ensuring accurate attributes, descriptions, pack sizes, and unit-of-measure consistency to prevent downstream errors.
• Maintain basic awareness of restricted substances and compliance topics impacting PPE, coordinating with internal compliance resources and suppliers to obtain required declarations and documentation.
• Interpret and communicate differences between standards bodies and frameworks (for example ISO vs ASME) and apply this understanding to global product data and documentation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Leverage product knowledge and internal relationships to support sourcing and quoting activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams and suppliers to develop competitive proposals for new opportunities.
• Assist with large or complex project implementations involving the assigned product categories.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution and customer satisfaction.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.
• 3 to 7+ years of experience in industrial distribution, indirect materials, industrial safety, PPE category management, or technical sales.
• Knowledge of industrial products, sourcing processes, and core supply chain concepts.
• Ability to work effectively across functions and influence without formal authority.
• Experience with PIM and ERP item/master data; SAP and/or Prophet 21 experience is preferred.
• Familiarity with OSHA PPE requirements and relevant U.S. consensus standards (ANSI/ISEA as applicable).
• Basic familiarity with EU and Canadian market requirements and standards (EU PPE Regulation/CE concepts; CSA standards as applicable).
• Ability to discern differences between ISO and ASME standards frameworks and apply that knowledge to product data and documentation.
• Understanding of market trends and demand forecasting.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25 percent of the time.

Technologies

• PIM
• SAP
• Prophet 21 (P21)

Key Competencies

• Product expertise
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Problem solving
• Customer focus
• Business acumen

Work Location

On site in Greenwood, Indiana