The posting
Auto Electric Service Ltd. is seeking a Vice President of Product to lead one of the most important functions in our next stage of growth.
Founded in 1943, AES is a locally owned Saskatchewan wholesale distribution company serving the automotive aftermarket, agriculture, industrial, heavy-duty, PBE, commercial paint, retail, OEM dealer, jobber, and service markets across Southern Saskatchewan. We are investing heavily in our Distribution Centre, inventory capabilities, technology, people, and systems as we build toward our long-term growth strategy.
This is not simply a purchasing role.
The VP of Product will have executive accountability for Product Assortment, Inventory Strategy, Purchasing, Pricing, Category Management, and Product-related Technology and Analytics.
The Opportunity
The VP of Product will answer some of the most important commercial questions in our business:
- What should we sell?
- What should we stock, where, and how much?
- Which suppliers and product lines should we grow?
- How should we price by market, category, and customer?
- Where should we enter new categories?
- How can data and technology improve these decisions?
The mission is to build a disciplined, accountable, technology-enabled Product function that delivers broad product availability while improving inventory productivity, contribution margin, GMROI, and return on invested capital.
Key Outcomes
Build a Smarter Inventory Network Lead AES’s enterprise-wide inventory strategy across our Distribution Centre and branch network. Improve fill rates and product availability while reducing excess, obsolete, and unproductive inventory.
Grow and Optimize the Product Assortment Identify assortment gaps, rationalize underperforming SKUs, evaluate new categories, and ensure our product mix reflects actual customer and market demand across Automotive, Agriculture, Industrial, Heavy Duty, and PBE.
Lead Pricing Strategy Drive the continued evolution from traditional cost-plus pricing toward more data-driven, market-aware pricing designed to improve contribution margin while maintaining competitiveness.
Elevate Purchasing Transform purchasing into a more strategic, analytical function. Strengthen vendor relationships, improve supplier accountability, negotiate stronger commercial programs, and align purchasing decisions with demand, inventory, and financial outcomes.
Build a Disciplined New Product Process Ensure new product lines and categories are supported by clear business cases, expected ROI, required inventory investment, launch plans, and post-launch accountability.
Use Data and Technology as a Competitive Advantage Work with internal and external technology partners to improve pricing, demand forecasting, product recommendations, customer insights, inventory positioning, and master data.
Build the Team and Function Develop the structure, people, processes, scorecards, and operating rhythms required to support AES’s growth. Participate as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team and work cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Logistics, Finance, Marketing, and Technology.
Requirements
What You Bring
We are looking for a commercially minded, analytical leader who understands the connection between product, inventory, pricing, purchasing, data, and customer demand.
The ideal candidate will bring:
- 8+ years of progressive senior leadership experience in product management, category management, purchasing, pricing, commercial analytics, supply chain, or a related function.
- Proven experience managing significant inventory portfolios and improving inventory productivity, profitability, and GMROI.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience in pricing strategy, supplier negotiations, category management, and demand forecasting.
- Experience using ERP, BI, pricing, inventory, analytics, or other business technology platforms to support decision-making.
- Experience developing or improving pricing, forecasting, predictive analytics, or other data-driven business tools.
- Proven ability to lead teams, manage cross-functional initiatives, and turn complex information into clear business decisions.
- Experience in wholesale distribution, automotive aftermarket, agriculture, industrial, heavy-duty, or PBE is highly desirable.
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Data Analytics, Engineering, Finance, or a related field; MBA or advanced credentials are an asset.
What Success Looks Like
Success means building a disciplined, data-driven Product organization that provides customers with broad, reliable local product availability while managing inventory and working capital effectively.
Our purchasing becomes more strategic, supplier performance is measurable, pricing decisions are increasingly data-driven, and new product opportunities are supported by strong business cases. Our teams have better tools and information to make decisions and serve customers.
Ultimately, the Product function becomes a key driver of profitable growth, inventory productivity, and customer value as AES continues to scale. A full job description is available by request for interested candidates.
Benefits
Why Work With Us
At Auto Electric Service Ltd., we are in an exciting phase of business growth and expansion. This is an opportunity to join a company that is investing in its future and strengthening its presence within Saskatchewan communities.
We offer a supportive, team-focused environment where employees are empowered to contribute directly to business growth and build meaningful customer relationships.
Benefits include: • Competitive salary with performance-based bonuses • Comprehensive health and dental insurance • Life and disability insurance • Company pension plan • Employee discounts • Flexible scheduling for work-life balance • Paid time off and holiday pay • Training and development opportunities
Location: Regina, Saskatchewan Travel: Limited
If you are energized by the opportunity to build, lead, and transform a critical function inside a growing Saskatchewan company, we would like to hear from you.
