Category/Project Manager - Personal Protective Equipment

Position Summary The PPE Product Manager supports the expansion of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sales offerings across existing and new customer accounts. This role acts as a subject matter expert for assigned PPE product categories, related systems, and intercompany capabilities, partnering closely with the sales organization to support new opportunities, develop solutions, select product offerings, and support successful project execution. While not responsible for direct people management, this role provides technical guidance and product expertise to team members across the organization. The role is primarily focused on the U.S. market, but it also requires the ability to leverage and interpret global (EU/Canada) product data, labeling, and documentation requirements to support a consistent offering.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities Sales Support

• Serve as a resource to the sales organization for PPE products.
• Partner with account managers to identify and develop opportunities to expand PPE indirect sales within existing customer accounts.
• Support the development of PPE product knowledge across the sales organization.
• Provide mentorship and technical support to sales representatives as needed.

Product and Systems Expertise

• Act as the subject matter expert for the assigned product categories, related systems, and intercompany cooperation.
• Provide guidance on product selection, sourcing options, and technical specifications.
• Lead product lifecycle management and SKU/supplier rationalization.
• Own PPE product data quality across PIM and ERP platforms (e.g., SAP and P21), ensuring accurate attributes, descriptions, pack sizes, and unit-of-measure (UOM) integrity to prevent downstream errors.
• Basic awareness of restricted substances/compliance topics that can impact PPE categories (e.g., PFAS) and ability to coordinate with internal compliance resources and suppliers to obtain required declarations/documentation.
• Ability to interpret and communicate differences between standards bodies/frameworks (e.g., ISO vs. ASME) and apply that understanding when using global product data and documentation.
• All other duties as assigned.

Sourcing and Quoting Support

• Leverage product knowledge and intercompany relationships to support sourcing and quoting activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams and suppliers to develop competitive proposals for new opportunities.

Project Implementation Support

• Assist with large or complex project implementations involving the assigned product categories.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution and customer satisfaction.

Education, Qualifications, Skills & Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• 3–7+ years of experience in industrial distribution, indirect materials, industrial safety, PPE category management, or technical sales.
• Knowledge of industrial products, sourcing processes, and supply chain concepts.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and influence without direct authority.
• Experience working with PIM and ERP item/master data; SAP and/or Prophet 21 experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of OSHA PPE requirements and common U.S. consensus standards applicable to PPE categories (ANSI/ISEA as applicable).
• Basic familiarity with EU and Canadian market requirements and standards (EU PPE Regulation/CE concepts; CSA standards as applicable).
• Standards literacy: ability to recognize and communicate differences between ISO and ASME standards frameworks and implications for product data/documentation.
• Knowledge of market trends and demand forecasting.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of time.

KEY COMPETENCIES

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