Buyer (Inventory & Category Ownership)

HVAC/R Wholesale Distribution | Tropic Supply

Tropic Supply is seeking a proactive, analytically strong Supply Chain Buyer to take ownership of assigned product lines across our 23-location Resource Center network.

This is not a transactional purchasing role. This position owns category performance — including product availability, inventory investment, cost integrity, and lifecycle execution. You will actively manage demand signals, evaluate product lines, and make disciplined decisions that directly impact working capital, margin performance, and customer experience.

At Tropic Supply, the Supply Chain Buyer role operates as a category owner with full accountability for inventory performance, product availability, and purchasing decisions

Tropic Supply is a family-owned and independently operated HVAC/R wholesale distributor founded in 1973. The founding family continues to own and lead the company today, allowing us to operate with consistency and disciplined decision-making. We are not driven by quarterly earnings pressure; we protect working capital, strengthen vendor partnerships, and focus on sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Own assigned product lines as a category manager, with accountability for availability, inventory productivity, and cost accuracy
• Own the end-to-end buying process by making inventory decisions and executing those decisions through direct purchase order placement with vendors
• Analyze demand trends, seasonality, and variability to make informed, forward-looking inventory decisions
• Lead product lifecycle execution, ensuring clean transitions with minimal disruption to customers and operations
• Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, including regular performance reviews and product line discussions
• Ensure accuracy of vendor cost, product data, and system inputs to protect pricing integrity and margin
• Identify excess, slow-moving, and misaligned inventory and take ownership of corrective action
• Monitor open purchase orders and proactively manage exceptions to maintain service levels

• 3+ years of experience in buying, inventory management, or category management (distribution environment strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to think beyond transactions and manage a product line as a business
• Strong analytical capability — comfortable interpreting demand data, identifying trends, and making decisions with imperfect information
• High level of ownership and accountability — takes responsibility for outcomes, not just activity
• Detail-oriented with a commitment to system accuracy and process discipline
• Ability to prioritize and execute in a fast-paced, multi-location environment
• Confident communicator who can engage vendors in productive, business-focused conversations
• Self-starter with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset

Preferred: HVAC or industrial distribution experience; ERP experience (Infor a plus)

This role directly influences how Tropic Supply deploys inventory dollars across the business. Every decision impacts product availability, working capital, and margin performance.

In a company that values discipline and long-term thinking, strong category ownership is a competitive advantage. This role plays a critical part in ensuring we invest in the right products, at the right levels, with the right partners — while maintaining the flexibility and responsiveness our customers depend on.

We take pride in taking care of our people.

• 100% paid employee health insurance
• 100% paid life insurance
• Dental & vision plans
• Short- and long-term disability
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid holidays + PTO
• A family-oriented, supportive culture

Our Core Values

At Tropic Supply, how we operate matters just as much as what we achieve:

Trust · Relationships · Own It · Positive Attitude · Integrity · Considerate

These are not just words. This is how we treat each other, our customers, and our partners every day.

Join Our Team

If you are someone who takes pride in what you do, thinks ahead, and wants to make a real impact, you will fit right in here.

We are looking for people who care about doing things the right way, support their team, and take ownership of their work.

If that sounds like you, we would love to meet you!

#INDHP