Job Information
Dorman Category Director in Colmar, Pennsylvania
Category Director
Apply now »
Date: Mar 11, 2025
Location: Colmar, PA, US, 18915
Company: Dorman Products
Dorman was founded on the belief that people should have greater freedom to fix motor vehicles. For over 100 years, we have been driving new solutions, releasing tens of thousands of aftermarket replacement products engineered to save time and money, and increase convenience and reliability. Founded and headquartered in the United States, we are a pioneering global organization offering an always-evolving catalog of automotive, heavy-duty and specialty vehicle products. Today, we have more than 3,500 employees across 28 different locations, with a family of brands that also includes SuperATV and Dayton Parts. Publicly traded under the stock ticker DORM, we had revenues surpassing $1.93 billion in 2023.
Everyone who works at Dorman is called a Contributor. We need everyone, regardless of role and experience, to contribute to our success. That means everyone has a unique ability to make an impact on the business. We encourage all our Contributors to bring their authentic selves to work. The freedom to pursue new ideas, offer different perspectives, and grow in your career is fundamental to working at Dorman.
Job Summary
This role reports to the VP of Category Management and is responsible for executing the company’s strategy of providing customer solutions that help drive permanent distribution growth across all channels, markets and products. The Category Director works cross functionally with Product, Innovation, Sales, Sales Operations, Finance, Supply Chain/Operations, Business Insights and Marketing teams to execute the product priorities. The category Director is the go-to-market expert for their assigned categories, they work cross-functionally to understand and surface the largest organizational product opportunities through understanding of the product category value proposition and market competition. They work to drive product adoption speed and depth of penetration at the recommended levels supporting the sales plan and product strategies. Additionally, this role supports the competitive landscape information gathering for new product/program volume forecasts for use in the SIOP Process.
Primary Duties
Leads the development of go-to-market strategy for assigned categories; provides ongoing communication to sales and all other key stakeholders to ensure go-to market strategy/channel tactics and customer plans align with overall strategic direction of product priorities and the company as a whole.
Development and execution of market launch tools and pull-through programs to assist sales teams in ensuring proper level of distribution placement by understanding market requirements and working with appropriate cross functional teams (BI, Sales Ops, IT, PDS, Marketing).
Keeps up-to-date on market trends of assigned categories to include but not limited to; key customer line review timing, ongoing market positioning vs all competitors, ensuring proper market/product positioning, ensuring speed to market customer penetration, proper depth and breadth of product placement in customers supply chain to maximize sales and profitability.
Leads the cross-functional creation of product category promotional incentives with product, sales and marketing teams to drive placement, incremental sales and/or defend our market position.
Understands their assigned categories commercialization needs, creates applicable tools to gain or defend market share and leads the communication of these tools to Sales, Product, BI, Sales Ops, IT, PDS, Marketing and Demand Planning teams.
Lead the cross-functional development of sales team training tools (PM, Marketing) and makes presentations of the training tools to the appropriate sales teams.
Proactively works cross-functionally with Demand Planning, Quality and Product Management to ensure appropriate levels of saleable inventory is available prior to any promotional events or focused sales efforts. Works directly with PM and Dorman pricing manager to ensure Dorman is and remains priced competitive with “like” value proposition alternatives.
Qualifications
Have a solid understanding of automotive aftermarket national retail and independent warehouse distributor customer go-to-market sales execution strategies
Ability to interpret needs of sales to provide creative solutions for business that deliver company objectives
Critical/ analytical/ strategic thinking skills and have the ability to organize own work and set priorities
Physical Requirement: Capability to lift 20 pounds.
Working Conditions: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to reach, swivel, carry items from one building to another, and speak and actively listen. Noise level is usually moderate.
Education / Experience
Bachelor’s degree in business or marketing required
7+ years of Automotive Aftermarket industry experience preferred, including experience within field sales and product development
Dorman Products is an equal opportunity employer; we value a combination of ideas, perspectives, and cultures at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. EEO/AA Employer M/F/D/V. www.DormanProducts.com
#LI-MM