Flexibility Option:

Job Req Id: 30706

Description:

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.

This position will be located in: Fargo, ND

Application Deadline: September 5, 2025.

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

Job Summary

Responsible for leading the regional Cost Analyst team focused on costing strategies for the open market across all branches and core markets. Leads execution of strategic priorities and department fiscal year planning, determines cost competitiveness, and identifies opportunities for cost negotiation with vendors.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

- Leads execution of strategic priorities and department fiscal year planning for the regional Cost Analyst team.

- Leads development of metrics and tools and maintains a strong focus on goal setting, accountability, and goal achievement.

- Leads reviews of key product categories/vendors by branch, area or region to determine cost competitiveness, ensures market relevance and establishes cost confidence with Border States branches and customers.

- Utilizes system data and analytics to gather market intelligence on competitiveness of material costs. Works to understand overall cost structures and strategies of top vendors.

- Leads negotiations with vendors to negotiate pricing based on evaluation findings as necessary with support from category management team where needed.

- Demonstrated ability to drive team engagement and alignment to core/strategic objectives.

- Demonstrated ability to collaboratively problem solve and deliver solutions.

- Leads and supports identification of cost management opportunities through analytics, market feedback and commercial intelligence to demonstrate due diligence, actively managing costs and ensuring market relevance in our pricing.

- Leads identification of opportunities to negotiate better special pricing agreement (SPA) costs for more customers, rationalizing existing SPAs or working to improve stock pricing.

- Utilizes market analytics and key indices (e.g. commodities) to identify opportunities for cost negotiation with vendors.

- Supports our company market costing strategy by ensuring any additional value or landed costs are captured in our margin structure.

- Leads documentation of cost savings delivered through opportunity identification and market analysis.

- Leads communication to branches on developed strategies to create trust and confidence in system pricing for stock business.

- Facilitates communication between branch and Branch Support Center regarding product and/or vendor conversion projects.

Non-essential Functions

- Travels to Border States branch and customer locations.

- Continuously improves processes and tools to manage demand planning and cost management strategies more effectively and efficiently.

- Continues to grow industry/field experience through different branch/customer/manufacturer visits throughout the year.

- Performs other duties as assigned by manager or designate.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s business or technical degree or equivalent in work experience

- Three+ years of procurement, operations, sales, or marketing experience with knowledge of construction, utility, industrial products and systems required.

- Advanced knowledge in wholesale distribution, electrical manufacturing, or electrical wholesaling is preferred.

- Experience with MS Excel/Access.

- Advanced knowledge of SAP materials management system and demand planning.

Skills and Abilities

- Ability to lead, coach, develop strong teams and attract top talent.

- Ability to establish strategies, define goals, and ensure accountability to results.

- Excellent customer service, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills.

- Ability to communicate effectively and align organization to departmental priorities.

- Ability to work independently and with initiative.

- Advanced organizational and time management skills.

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:

Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

- Lift from Waist:

- < than 10 lbs. - Not at all

- 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all

- 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all

- 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

- 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

- 100+ lbs. - Not at all

- Lift from Floor:

- < than 10 lbs. - Frequently

- 10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently

- 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally

- 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

- 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

- 100+ lbs. - Not at all

- Carried for Distance:

- < than 10 lbs. - Not at all

- 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all

- 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all

- 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

- 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

- 100+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

- Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Continuously

- Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently

- Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently

- Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally

- Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all

- Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Frequently

- Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently

- Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally

- Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally

- Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally

- Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously

- Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Occasionally

- Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally

- Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously

- Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously

- Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Frequently

- Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally

- Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously

- Use of a computer - Continuously

- Use of a telephone - Frequently

- Hearing (Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously

- Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Not at all

- Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Occasionally

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.