Intelligence Analyst Jobs in Meriden, CT (NOW HIRING)

Description

Job Summary:

As a key member of NEFCO's Pricing team, the Pricing Cost Analyst will play a critical role in developing and maintaining accurate, competitive product cost structures that drive gross margin improvement and support our aggressive growth strategy. You will collaborate closely with Pricing, Purchasing, Sales, Branch Management, and Leadership to ensure our cost bases and pricing strategies reflect current market conditions and position NEFCO for continued success in the construction and industrial supply sector.

This is a high-impact, fast-paced role ideal for a detail-oriented analyst who thrives on turning data into actionable insights and enjoys cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

Cost Event Management

• Support the end-to-end process for cost events, including new vendor costs, queues for price increases/decreases, freight changes, and tariff impacts.
• Manage timely and accurate updates of costs in the ERP system (standard cost rolls, mass updates, effective dating).
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Purchasing, Inventory, and Pricing teams to implement cost changes with minimal disruption to operations and customer pricing.

Costing Analytics & Reporting

• Perform detailed costing analytics, including cost variance analysis, purchase price variances (PPV), inventory valuation, and margin impact assessments.
• Maintain dashboards and reports on cost trends, landed costs, and profitability by product category, supplier, and customer segment.
• Identify cost savings opportunities and cost leakage through rigorous analysis.

Cost Accumulation Strategy

• Assist with the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of cost accumulation methods (standard costing, actual costing, hybrid approaches) suitable for a distribution and wholesale environment.
• Partner with Accounting to enable optimal inventory costing methodologies, ensuring compliance with GAAP/IFRS and accurate financial reporting.

Vendor Deviated Pricing Programs

• Assist in the management of vendor special pricing agreements, deviated cost programs, rebates, and incentive structures.
• Track and validate vendor cost deviations against purchase orders and inventory receipts.

Commodity Intelligence & Market Monitoring

• Provide ongoing commodity intelligence for key inputs (steel, lumber, copper, plastics, fuel, fasteners, etc.) relevant to construction and industrial supplies.
• Track global and domestic market trends, supplier indices, and geopolitical factors affecting costs.
• Support various forecasts and alerts to leadership on potential cost impacts and recommended actions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Pricing and Supply Chain teams to ensure cost changes are appropriately reflected in customer pricing and margin targets.
• Work with Purchasing on supplier negotiations and new product costing.
• Collaborate with Sales and Finance on bid costing, project profitability analysis, and quoting support.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Accuracy and timeliness of cost event processing and ERP updates.
• Reduction in unfavorable purchase price variances and costing errors.
• Gross margin protection / improvement through effective cost management.
• Quality and impact of commodity intelligence and risk mitigation actions.
• Successful implementation of cost accumulation improvements and automation initiatives.
• This position plays a critical role in safeguarding profitability and providing strategic cost visibility in a highly competitive and commodity-driven industry.

Requirements

 Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Supply Chain, related field, OR equivalent experience. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Products (Excel, Word, etc).
• Proven track record of supporting data integrity, reporting, and process improvement
• Excellent communication and influencing skills - ability to present insights to senior leadership and sales teams.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with commodity markets and volatility in construction/industrial materials.
• Understanding of inventory costing methods, variance analysis, and supply chain cost dynamics.
• Experience with ERP costing modules and cost roll processes.
• Background in vendor program management and deviated pricing.
• Strong project management and change management skills.
• Knowledge of tariff and landed cost management.