Benchmarking Specialist; St. Louis, MO

Overview

The Benchmarking Specialist will be responsible for working directly with the Category Management team and the Distribution Division to prepare, analyze and review complex market data to benchmark cost across categories. This individual will develop analytics that support strategic decisions and execute key initiatives. The ideal candidate will be able to bring effective business insight and strong analytical skills to improve organizational profitability by providing insights, trends, and new implementations within a rapidly changing environment.

This role will sit in our St. Louis, Mo (Hazelwood) office, M-F, day shift. There can be some flexibility to work from home 3-5 days per month as needed after training. You will report to the Benchmarking Manager.

• Utilize cost and pricing data to identify opportunities for profit growth, margin retention, and areas of friction within product costing including customer benchmarking, margin contribution, etc.
• Conduct thorough market research to gather data on competitor pricing, market trends, and customer preferences.
• Analyze industry benchmarks and identify market pricing trends to understand the competitive landscape.
• Develop and recommend pricing strategies and models based on comprehensive analysis, aimed at maximizing company profits while ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Gather and manage pricing data from various sources, including sales transactions, market research, and competitor analysis.
• Ensure data integrity and accuracy in pricing analysis and reporting.
• Perform continuous competitive analysis to track and report on competitor pricing strategies and market movements.
• Identify pricing opportunities and threats in the market and recommend actions.
• Monitor the performance of pricing strategies and initiatives, analyzing their impact on sales and profitability.
• Adjust pricing strategies in response to market changes, customer feedback, and organizational goals.
• Prepare regular reports on pricing analysis, strategies, and outcomes for senior management.
• Utilize advanced pricing software and analytical tools to enhance pricing analysis and strategy development.
• Develop standard tools and cadence for reporting out of information and tracking results.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels of the business.

• High School diploma or GED equivalent required
• Bachelor’s degree required (ideally in Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Computer Science, or Finance). Master’s degree preferred.
• 3+ years’ experience in Finance or Business Analytics is required.
• Distribution industry experience is a plus.
• Must have experience working on large scale projects as well as handling day-to-day operational requests from the business.
• Strong project management experience and the ability to successfully manage multiple tasks at once.
• Strong understanding of procurement, vendor management, business processes, and process improvement
• Possess strong planning, organizational and time management skills as well as strong analytical problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in a Microsoft Office environment is mandatory (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) Advance skills in MS Excel is required (about 80% of the work is manipulating data in Excel)
• AS400, AI (ChatGPT/CoPilot) and Microsoft Power BI/Beacon exposure is a strong plus.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities