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Open nowPosted 15 days ago

Business Unit Manager

Ace Hardware213 open roles

Where
Panama - Panama City
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Your applicationOpen nowBusiness Unit ManagerAce Hardware · Panama - Panama City

  1. YouYes, apply to this one.

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The clock on this job

Early applications get read.

12.1% of postings close within 7 days. Measured by our own scanner across the market. Ace Hardware postings stay open a median of 9 days.

Share of postings closed within
  1. 2.1%1 day
  2. 4.5%3 days
  3. 12.1%7 days
  4. 19.1%14 days
  5. 35.6%30 days
  6. 52.7%60 days
This job: posted 15 days ago

Ace Hardware median: 9 days open

The posting

JOB SUMMARY:

The Business Unit Manager (Internally known as an International Merchant II) develops and executes regional merchandising, sourcing, supplier-development, and category-growth strategies for the LATAM & Caribbean region. The position drives sales growth, gross profit improvement, sourcing savings, private-label penetration, and retailer profitability by identifying market opportunities and delivering differentiated, scalable factory-direct programs.

The role leads collaboration across retailers, Regional Sales Managers, AGD Sourcing, Supply Chain, Customer Service, and vendor partners to develop global, regional, and retailer-specific assortments. The Merchant II serves as a senior subject-matter expert, translates market needs into actionable business plans, and provides functional leadership from opportunity identification through commercialization and post-sale support.

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES:

Regional Business Growth and Category Strategy

  • Develop and execute multi-year category and business-growth strategies for assigned MENA markets, retailers, and FDM opportunities.
  • Analyze consumer behavior, competitive activity, market trends, prior program performance, retailer needs, and financial potential to identify growth opportunities.
  • Create category roadmaps, business cases, and action plans; present recommendations to leadership and adjust strategies as business conditions change.

Factory Direct Program Development

  • Lead the development and implementation of scalable global, regional, and retailer-specific FDM programs that increase sales, margin, and differentiation.
  • Identify categories with multi-retailer potential, gather input across cultures and customer types, and translate requirements into commercially viable product proposals.
  • Develop and coordinate catalogs, sales materials, convention programs, special events, and other commercialization tools required to drive retailer adoption and replenishment.

Private Label Strategy and Product Development

  • Lead the identification, sourcing, development, commercialization, and retailer adoption of Ace-controlled and private-label products.
  • Partner with retailers, Sales, Sourcing, Branding, Product Development, and vendors to define specifications, positioning, packaging, target costs, and launch requirements.
  • Identify opportunities to replace lower-margin bill-through suppliers with Ace-controlled supply alternatives where commercially appropriate and compliant with company standards.

Global Sourcing and Supplier Strategy

  • Develop supplier strategies that support product innovation, availability, margin improvement, and long-term business growth.
  • Identify, evaluate, qualify, and develop factories and suppliers in coordination with AGD Sourcing and other required functions.
  • Lead commercial negotiations for product cost, terms, funding, exclusivity, distribution opportunities, and strategic partnerships within approved authority levels.
  • Conduct supplier, showroom, trade-show, and factory visits to assess capabilities and identify regional and global opportunities.

Financial Performance Management

  • Develop and manage annual sales, gross profit, margin expansion, sourcing-savings, and private-label growth plans for assigned programs.
  • Monitor business performance, vendor productivity, program adoption, and commercial results; identify risks and implement corrective actions.
  • Prepare financial analyses and business cases for new programs, supplier changes, product development, and retailer opportunities.

Retailer and Market Development Leadership

  • Build trusted relationships with retailers and Regional Sales Managers and serve as a senior resource for category, product, sourcing, and FDM opportunities.
  • Lead retailer opportunity discussions, translate market needs into actionable product programs, and support sales conversion and replenishment planning.
  • Coordinate post-sale support with Sales, Customer Service, Sourcing, and vendors to address execution issues and protect long-term relationships.

Cross-Functional Leadership and Talent Development

  • Lead cross-functional initiatives involving Merchandising Specialists, Sales, Branding, Sourcing, Product Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Inventory, Customer Service, Compliance, and other partners.
  • Establish roles, milestones, and accountability; communicate progress, risks, decisions, and order status to leadership and stakeholders.
  • Provide functional guidance, coaching, and knowledge transfer to Merchandising Specialists and junior merchandising team members.

Vendor, Brand, and Industry Development

  • Build strategic relationships with key vendors and brands and establish joint plans to grow the assigned markets.
  • Monitor product, brand, packaging, merchandising, and sourcing trends and convert relevant insights into business opportunities.
  • Represent Ace International at appropriate trade shows, supplier meetings, showrooms, and industry events

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND COMPETENCIES

Minimum education and experience

  • Bachelor's degree in business administration, merchandising, marketing, supply chain, engineering, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
  • 7+ years of business experience, including 5+ years in merchandising, category management, buying, or product development and 5+ years in sourcing or supplier development.
  • Demonstrated experience developing products, assortments, suppliers, and commercial programs for international markets.
  • Experience working with retailers, distributors, vendors, and cross-functional teams across cultures and geographies.
  • Regional and global brand awareness within home improvement, hardware, or related consumer-product industries.
  • Fluent written and spoken English; additional language capability relevant to assigned markets is preferred.
  • Ability to travel internationally approximately 20-30% of the time.

Technical knowledge and skills

  • Advanced knowledge of category strategy, assortment planning, global sourcing, product development, commercialization, private label, and factory-direct business models.
  • Strong financial and analytical capability, including sales, gross profit, margin rate, cost, sourcing savings, pricing, inventory, program productivity, and business-case evaluation.
  • Demonstrated negotiation capability across product cost, terms, funding, exclusivity, distribution, and strategic supplier partnerships.
  • Ability to evaluate factories, suppliers, product quality, packaging, market relevance, capacity, compliance, and commercial risk in partnership with the appropriate functional teams.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint; working knowledge of SAP and business reporting tools preferred.
  • Strong project leadership, prioritization, and follow-through while managing multiple complex initiatives and deadlines.

Core and merchandising competencies

  • Strategic Thinking: Translate consumer, retailer, market, supplier, and financial insights into multi-year growth strategies.
  • Financial Acumen: Understand the financial drivers of the business and make recommendations that improve profitable growth.
  • Communication: Deliver clear, concise, audience-appropriate communication and executive-ready recommendations.
  • Accountability: Own commitments, milestones, business results, and corrective action.
  • Problem Solving and Decision Making: Define complex problems, evaluate alternatives, manage risk, and make sound, timely decisions.
  • Planning and Execution: Convert strategy into structured plans, align resources, and drive execution across multiple stakeholders.
  • Influence and Cross-Functional Leadership: Build commitment and lead outcomes without relying on direct authority.
  • Negotiation: Use preparation, data, scale, and business drivers to achieve competitive commercial outcomes.
  • Innovation and Product Passion: Demonstrate curiosity and identify differentiated products, programs, suppliers, and business models.
  • Coaching and Mentoring: Share expertise and provide functional guidance to junior merchandising team members and project partners.

WORK AUTHORIZATION: This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

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