Category Management Specialist III or Sr

About the role

The Category Management Specialist utilizes significant supply chain, category management and contracting capabilities and experience to implement Procurement & Supply Chain (P&SC) strategies and commercial agreements for assigned categories within Nuclear Strategic Procurement. The position is responsible for the utilization of the standard category management process of Plan-Strategy-Source-Perform and will function to support end-to-end value for an assigned portfolio of spend, primarily within Entergy’s nuclear third party spend.

Responsibilities

• Utilize strategic and creative thinking to produce a range of solutions to problems, anticipate changes in the business environment, and make data-driven decisions.
• Provide innovative solutions in category management processes, including supplier diversity, safety metrics and tools; category strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Apply pre-award and post-award contract management processes; integrate business unit-specific knowledge; identify and mitigate contractual, market, and supplier risks to Entergy.
• Develop sourcing strategies; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Create detailed RFx price breakdowns and deconstruct vendor pricing models to support financial analysis and bid comparison.
• Extract data and apply market intelligence to assess supply market status and evolution.
• Develop “cost to serve” for customers; coaches/guides others.
• Lead supplier negotiations that support operational excellence through safety, price, quality, service, and innovation; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Understand business and supply chain operations within Entergy; including Entergy’s purchasing and payment policies; experience and knowledge of supply chain systems and processes.
• Influence stakeholders across business units, functions, and supply chain (zero-based purchasing, proactive purchase planning and hedging).
• Manage project assignments systematically and thoroughly, identifying critical pathways and risks to delivery.
• Apply commercial skills and financial acumen to category management, understanding key business drivers and impact to Entergy on outcomes.
• Analyze data to provide detailed reports with commentary based on data analysis; interpret data and propose conclusions, using trends in data.
• Coach supply chain personnel in category management technical tools and techniques.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders; build broad relationships and effective networks with all stakeholders.
• Manage the costs of the business; understand the impact of contract terms on Entergy's cost structure.

Requirements

• Category Management Specialist III: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Accounting, Engineering, Legal, or other related discipline and minimum 5+ years of category management, strategic sourcing or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 9+ years of category management, strategic sourcing or other related supply chain experience. Minimum 2+ years’ energy industry supply chain experience in category management or strategic sourcing.
• Category Management Specialist Sr: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Accounting, Engineering, Legal, or other related discipline and minimum 9+ years of category management, strategic sourcing or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 13+ years of category management, strategic sourcing or other related supply chain experience. Minimum 3+ years’ energy industry supply chain experience in category management or strategic sourcing.

Qualifications

• Understanding of Entergy’s business model and key interfaces across the business and supply chain.
• Deep proficiency and ability to provide innovative solutions in category management processes; including supplier diversity, safety metrics and tools; category strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Deep understanding of supplier relationship/vendor management principles and practices.
• Deep understanding of the capacity and cost structure of existing suppliers.
• Extensive application in developing detailed RFx price breakdowns and deconstructing vendor pricing models to support financial analysis and bid comparison.
• Extensive knowledge and proficiency in creating negotiation strategies and leading supplier negotiations that support operational excellence through safety, price, quality, service and innovation; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Extensive knowledge of business and supply chain operations within Entergy; including Entergy’s purchasing and payment policies; experience and knowledge of supply chain systems and processes.
• Highly proficient influencing skills to promote effective demand planning across business units, functions and supply chain (zero-based purchasing, pro-active purchase planning and hedging).
• Expertise in application of commercial skills and financial acumen to category management, understanding the key business drivers and impact to Entergy on outcomes.
• Insightful business analytical skills to provide detailed reports with commentary based on data analysis; interpret data and propose conclusions, using trends in data.
• Extensive knowledge of business and supply chain operations within Entergy; including Entergy’s purchasing and payment policies; experience and knowledge of supply chain systems and processes.
• Highly proficient influencing skills to promote effective demand planning across business units, functions and supply chain (zero-based purchasing, pro-active purchase planning and hedging).
• Strong understanding of the management of change relative to supply chain situations.
• Deep understanding of change management as related to category management solutions for the business.
• Strong communication skills in presenting concise/relevant information to stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge to effectively manage the costs of the business; understand the impact of contract terms on Entergy's cost structure.

Skills

• Technical: Understanding of Entergy’s business model and key interfaces across the business and supply chain.
• Strategic Thinking: Skillful application of strategic and creative thinking to produce a range of solutions to problems, anticipating changes in the business environment, and making data-driven decisions.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Deep proficiency and ability to provide innovative solutions in category management processes; including supplier diversity, safety metrics and tools; category strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Contract Management: Deep understanding of supplier relationship/vendor management principles and practices. Skillful application of pre-award and post-award contract management processes; integrate business unit specific knowledge; identify and mitigate contractual, market and supplier risks to Entergy.
• Sourcing Strategies: Skillful application of pre-award and post-award contract management processes; integrate business unit specific knowledge; identify and mitigate contractual, market and supplier risks to Entergy.
• Data Analysis: Extensive application in developing detailed RFx price breakdowns and deconstructing vendor pricing models to support financial analysis and bid comparison. Extensive knowledge and proficiency in creating negotiation strategies and leading supplier negotiations that support operational excellence through safety, price, quality, service and innovation; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Cost Management: Deep expertise in developing “cost to serve” for customers; coaches/guides others. Extensive knowledge of business and supply chain operations within Entergy; including Entergy’s purchasing and payment policies; experience and knowledge of supply chain systems and processes.
• Project Management: Proficient in coaching/applying the development and implementation of sourcing strategies; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
• Commercial Skills: Deep understanding of business and supply chain operations within Entergy; including Entergy’s purchasing and payment policies; experience and knowledge of supply chain systems and processes.
• Financial Acumen: Insightful business analytical skills to provide detailed reports with commentary based on data analysis; interpret data and propose conclusions, using trends in data.
• Communication: Skillful at internal and external stakeholder communications; operates independently with stakeholders; apply influencing skills to develop best outcomes for Entergy.
• Change Management: Strong understanding of the management of change relative to supply chain situations. Deep understanding of change management as related to category management solutions for the business.