Vendor Returns Manager

Your career grows here.

At Echo Electric, a brand owned by Sonepar, we are a leader in electrical distribution. Echo Electric represents over $1.2 billion in sales covering Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Nebraska, and Southern South Dakota. As part of Sonepar, the worldwide leader in electrical distribution, we have a global reach that allows us to offer excellent benefits and develop innovative solutions, while maintaining our strong local roots and close-knit culture. We empower our associates to contribute to our success by adopting the adapt, dare, learn mindset-- adapt to new situations and people, dare to appropriately challenge the status quo, and learn from others and our own experiences.

Our 5 legacy brands known as Holt, PEPCO, Richards, and Springfield Electric have become one brand moving forward with a shared culture, strategy, and vision. We are now going to the market under one bold new brand, Echo Electric.

 

We have a great opportunity for a Vendor Returns Manager to join our team! The Vendor Returns Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing the return of goods to vendors in accordance with company policies, vendor agreements, and operational efficiency standards. This role ensures that defective, excess, or unsold inventory is returned to vendors in a timely and cost-effective manner while maintaining accurate records and building strong relationships with suppliers. This position can report from the Springfield, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, or Columbus, Ohio branch locations. 

 

Compensation: $70,000 – 75,000/yr

 

We’re looking for associates who:

• Manages the end-to-end vendor returns process, including return authorization requests, logistics coordination, and documentation working closely with procurement, inventory control, warehouse, and accounting teams to identify items eligible for return.
• Negotiates and maintains return agreements with vendors to optimize credit recovery and minimize losses while monitoring and enforcing compliance with vendor return policies and internal procedures and resolve disputes with vendors regarding return eligibility, condition of goods, and credit issuance.
• Tracks and reports on key return metrics (e.g., return value, processing time, credit recovery rate) and maintain organized records of return transactions, credit memos, and correspondence with vendors.
• Identifies opportunities to reduce returns or improve vendor performance through data analysis and collaboration.  

 

What you bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management or equivalent, as determined by Springfield Electric.
• 4 to 6 years of experience in vendor returns, supply chain operations, or inventory management, preferably in wholesale distribution.
• 4 to 6 years of experience with widely accepted academic supply chain optimization concepts.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and traverse the warehouse with or without accommodation.
• Ability to travel between opco branch locations up to 30% of the time.

What we offer:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plus employer paid short term and long-term disability and life insurance.

• Paid time off and paid holidays

• 401K match

• Profit Sharing

• Tuition reimbursement and employee development.

• Annual Safety Shoe Reimbursement

• Employee Discount on products

• Access to a variety of trainings for personal development

 

Who we are:

We’re the world’s number one distributor of electrical products, solutions and related services. Echo Electric is owned by Sonepar, a global company with over 500 locations nationwide. Whether you grow at one of our local Opcos or at one in another region, we want you to grow with us! All associates are regularly trained and we value promoting from within when possible.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Sonepar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, order of protection status, protected v