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HARRY'S COMMENTS: In its search for its first-ever Director of Ecommerce, we are working with a private equity-backed company in the Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) industry. This search was referred to us by one of the best ecom vendors of its kind in the industry, and this is an extremely credible hiring committee.

NOTE: The preference for this Director of Ecommerce role is on-site, but the company is open to fully remote candidates if they are exceptional.

Founded in the late 70s, this client specializes in the wholesale distribution of fasteners, hardware, chemical products, and other essential MRO supplies. With two strategically positioned distribution centers and multiple regional hubs, it supports rapid fulfillment nationwide.

As a comprehensive MRO solutions provider, the company maintains 65,000 products in active inventory, with access to over a million additional items. This positions it as a true single-source supplier across a wide range of operational needs. Customers include maintenance managers, fleet operators, procurement teams, and tradespeople in sectors like construction, manufacturing, and municipal services—buyers who value product reliability, fast delivery, and personalized support over commodity pricing.

Its core capabilities include:

• A broad MRO product portfolio
• Nationwide distribution infrastructure
• Localized sales support and expertise
• Deep sourcing and inventory management capabilities
• A 40+ year track record of domain expertise

The client sells into the following ten MRO categories, and as you can see from the following table, these markets are massive. Traditionally, the firm has enjoyed broad support within these five categories:

• Automotive: MRO in automotive ensures vehicle reliability through parts, tools, and services for maintenance and repair, supporting dealerships, repair shops, and manufacturers for optimal performance.
• Collision: Collision MRO focuses on repairing vehicles post-accident, supplying parts, paints, and tools to body shops for structural and aesthetic restoration, ensuring safety and quality.
• Construction: MRO supports construction with parts and services for heavy equipment, ensuring machinery like excavators and tractors remains operational for productivity and safety.
• Fleet: Fleet MRO maintains vehicle fleets for businesses, providing parts, diagnostics, and scheduled maintenance to minimize downtime and ensure reliable transportation for goods and services.
• Heavy-Duty Trucks: MRO for heavy-duty trucks supplies parts and maintenance services to keep commercial trucks operational, supporting logistics and transport with minimal downtime and high reliability.

Beyond these five, the client continues to diversify. In addition to its top five MRO categories, the client's future growth may come from ...

• Hospitality: Hospitality MRO maintains hotel and restaurant facilities, providing supplies for HVAC, plumbing, and kitchen equipment to ensure guest comfort and operational efficiency in high-traffic environments.
• Industrial Manufacturing: MRO in industrial manufacturing ensures machinery and production lines run smoothly with spare parts, tools, and maintenance services, minimizing disruptions and optimizing production efficiency.
• Military: Military MRO supports defense equipment, providing specialized parts and maintenance for vehicles, aircraft, and weapons systems to ensure mission readiness and operational reliability.
• Oil & Gas: Oil & Gas MRO maintains drilling rigs, pipelines, and refineries with parts and services, ensuring safety, compliance, and continuous operation in harsh, high-stakes environments.
• Powersports: Powersports MRO services recreational vehicles like motorcycles and ATVs, supplying parts and maintenance to ensure performance, safety, and longevity for enthusiasts and professionals.

IndustryEstimated Market Size (USD Billion)Key NotesAutomotive96.35Excludes collision; includes routine and major vehicle MROCollision36.25U.S. collision repair market (mainly bodywork & parts)Construction & Agriculture46Construction MRO; agriculture included in related industrial segmentsFleet50*Estimated; overlaps with auto, truck, bus MROHeavy-Duty Trucks106.81Includes all heavy vehicles/trucks MROHospitality15.31Covers facility/equipment MRO for hotels, resorts, food serviceIndustrial Manufacturing22.0MRO for manufacturing plant equipmentMilitary47.4Primarily military aviation MRO (excludes most ground vehicle & naval)Oil & Gas30*Estimate for equipment and facility MROPowersports5*Motorcycles, ATVs, recreational/off-road vehicles

This is a ground-up leadership role focused on building a profitable, scalable ecommerce channel. The company has recently launched a Shopify-based DTC site and is beginning to explore how digital can augment its traditional field-based model.

There is no internal ecommerce team yet, and you will serve as the primary operator across digital marketing, merchandising, UX, and analytics, while collaborating with internal stakeholders in pricing, product, and technology.

An average day might involve reviewing site behavior in GA4, launching A/B tests to improve conversion, troubleshooting UX and checkout flow issues, or building new collections and merchandising strategies to improve product discoverability. The role also requires the ability to craft a long-term growth roadmap and drive cross-functional alignment around that plan.

You must be equally comfortable thinking strategically and executing tactically. Success will be measured not only by digital revenue and profitability, but also by your ability to bring structure, clarity, and momentum to an underperforming but high-potential channel.

If you're right for the role, then you will have experience building an ecommerce business from scratch, thrives in zero-to-one environments, and has worked in complex product or B2B categories. This is a strong opportunity for a commercially minded builder who wants to lead digital inside a company with real margin structure, national scale, and operational credibility.

I spent a ton of time on the phone with the client teasing out exactly what you’ll need to KNOW and DO to hit the ground running in this role. Some of the things I can share with highly qualified candidates include ...

1. The "real" background requirements for this position, along with the top five things all resumes MUST have to be considered for the role.
2. The top five problems that exist due to this position being open. These are the little brush fires you will be expected to put out during your first month on the job. Every ecommerce job has these — and this one's no different.
3. The leading and lagging KPIs that will determine your success in this role. In a nutshell: How you'll keep score.
4. The major projects you’ll need to complete by Day 100 to be considered a home-run in this position. We’ve got the lowdown on how you can plug-and-play and drive REAL value in this ecommerce job.

I have a massive amount of proprietary intel to share with qualified candidates. My industry research for this assignment exceeds 100 pages! Be sure to TEXT me, Harry Joiner, at (404) 281-2025 for this info. Or simply use the email link when you apply for the role below.

• P&L Ownership: Assume full responsibility for the profitability of the eCommerce business, including revenue generation, cost management, and margin optimization
• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a team of talented internal and external professionals across various ecommerce functions, including performance marketing, merchandising, content, design, and technology
• Strategy Development: Develop and implement a comprehensive B2B2C eCommerce strategy aligned with the overall business goals, focusing on customer acquisition, retention, and growth
• Channel Management: Oversee the B2B2C eCommerce channel to ensure optimal performance and customer experience. Partner and work closely with leads of marketplaces and other digital platforms
• Digital Marketing: Drive customer acquisition and engagement through effective digital and performance marketing campaigns across various channels, including search engine marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), social media advertising, email marketing, and other partnerships
• Merchandising: Lead the merchandising team and collaborate with the product team in curating a compelling product assortment that resonates with our target audience and drives sales
• Content and Design: Drive the creation of engaging and visually appealing content that enhances the customer experience and drives conversions
• Technology: Partner with the internal and external technology partners to ensure the seamless functioning of our ecommerce platform and systems, and identify opportunities for technological user experience advancements
• Reporting and Analysis: Provide regular reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs), analyze data to identify trends and opportunities, and make data-driven recommendations to improve business performance
• Lead Generation: Develop and execute strategies to generate qualified leads and nurture them through the sales funnel
• Campaign Development and Deployment: Develop and deploy effective marketing campaigns across all ecommerce channels, in coordination with the customer business marketing and sales functions
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