Principal Retail Strategist

The Principal Industry Advisor will guide senior customer leaders in helping them to improve the customer experience, increase store productivity and remove risk from their business. This role will provide the voice of the customer within CDW and ensure that our teams understand and can effectively communicate the benefits, challenges, and impact of technology in the retail setting. Working with the leading vendor-neutral technical team in the industry, the role will serve as a critical educational expert voice for CDW-including sitting on key industry boards, presenting at conferences, and helping ensure our teams can deliver true ROI for our customers. The Principal Industry Advisor is a leader with extensive industry knowledge and experience, and a demonstrated ability to gain access to and provide insight on program or mission specific customer requirements. Candidates should possess a broad understanding of the retail industry, the customer, and the avenues to achieve business objectives in the industry. 

 
What You Will Do 

• Provide ideation, customer access, strategic vision, thought leadership, subject matter expertise and demonstrate relevance to the customer base and market in general. 
• Drive strategic Go to Market plans for the retail industry. 
• Grow revenue and profit for the retail industry. 
• Develop innovative solutions to drive thought leadership inside the retail industry. 
• Maintain and continue to develop partner ecosystem to support initiatives and go to market strategies. 
• Establish, grow, and maintain partnerships with industry alliances to support the organization’s goals. 
• Lead professional development sessions and workshops with technology leaders and other market leaders and facilitate conversations about how best to integrate CDW industry solutions into customer concepts of operations. 
• Develop Continuing Education programs for new and existing CDW sellers and sales teams regarding industry trends and solutions and mentor sellers on industry messaging. 
• Professionally represent CDW by attending and presenting at conferences and events. 
• Co-develop the CDW Industry Opinion. 
• Educate sales teams about retail market and industry customers and their mission and culture. 
• Conduct strategic market analysis to identify new missions, requirements, and business areas; plan for growth; strengthen partner relationships; conduct benefit cost analysis; brief senior leaders; ensure year-on-year business; and serve as a subject matter expert for proposal development. 
• Participate in senior leader strategic planning. 

 
What We Expect of You 

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent experience. 
• 12+ years technology or line of business leadership in the Retail industry. 
• Deep understanding of the vertical environment including knowledge of funding, investments, and use of information technology in the Retail industry. 
• Knowledge of current publications, events, and organizations relevant to the vertical market. 
• Credibility with vertical specific GTM landscape demonstrated through professional networks and understanding of the Retail industry. 
• Strategic planning capabilities. 
• Extensive presentation experience. 
• Ability to travel at least 25% of the time. 
• Proven leadership skills, is a plus. 
• Cognitive coaching and meeting facilitation experience, is a plus. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, is a plus. 
• Passion for vertical and ongoing personal learning, is a plus. 
• Extensive use of technology in the vertical market served, is a plus. 
• Strong consultative, solution based selling experience, is a plus. 
• Effective negotiation and closing skills, is a plus. 
• Strong conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, is a plus. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, is a plus. 
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, management, executives, other CDW departments, customers, and vendor partners, is a plus. 
• Adaptability and ability to lead through change, is a plus. 
• Ability to utilize strategic thinking to fulfill long-term company goals, is a plus. 
• Excellent time management skills to manage multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously, is a plus. 
• Exceptional attention to detail and follow up skills, is a plus. 
• Ability to share in-depth knowledge of CDW capabilities with customers, is a plus. 
• Strong internal and external customer acumen with high ethics and integrity, is a plus. 

CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization

We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner’s mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances—not replaces—human creativity and decision-making. You don’t need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work.

Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that’s curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what’s possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.

About Us

CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what’s possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn’t just what we do—it’s how we do it. At CDW we act as one—building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win—focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward—staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That’s why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees—working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities.

 

As a full‑stack, full‑lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what’s next.

Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do. Together, we Make Amazing Happen.

 

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.