Director, Supply Chain – Category Management and Contracts

Position Description

The Supply Chain Manager – Contracts & Category Management is responsible for leading the development, execution, and governance of enterprise-wide contracting strategies and category management programs supporting Boardwalk’s operations and growth objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Category Management & Commercial Strategy

• Develop, own, and continuously evolve formal category strategies aligned with enterprise objectives and business unit priorities.
• Build and maintain comprehensive category plans incorporating demand forecasts, market dynamics, supplier strategies, and cost optimization opportunities.
• Drive demand aggregation, supplier consolidation, and standardization of scopes of work and pricing structures.
• Align category strategies with Operations, Engineering, and Finance to ensure support of both operational and financial objectives.
• Integrate innovative commercial models and contracting approaches to enhance long-term value.
• Transform service-based and indirect spend from decentralized, transactional purchasing into structured, strategic categories with standardized contracts, competitive pricing frameworks, and strong supplier performance management.
• Play a critical role in driving commercial discipline, reducing cost variability, improving contract compliance, and delivering sustainable value through structured category strategies, advanced analytics, and executive stakeholder alignment.

• Contracting Strategy Governance

• Lead the development and governance of enterprise-wide contracting frameworks.
• Establish and standardize MSAs, SOWs, pricing schedules, and commercial terms across all service categories.
• Implement governance models for contract approval, compliance, and lifecycle management.
• Drive transition from fragmented contracting to enterprise-wide agreements with preferred suppliers.
• Partner with Legal to strengthen contract templates, risk allocation, and commercial protections.
• Ensure contracts address key risks including pricing variability, scope ambiguity, indemnity, and performance obligations.

• Commercial Execution

• Lead structured sourcing and negotiation strategies that deliver measurable business value.
• Lead RFQs/RFPs with robust evaluation frameworks and clear award criteria.
• Develop negotiation strategies that deliver cost savings, improved terms, and long-term value creation.
• Implement transparent pricing models (rate cards, unit rates, performance-based structures).
• Ensure sourcing activities align with category strategies and enterprise contracting frameworks.

• Supplier Relationship & Performance Management (SRM)

• Develop and lead a structured supplier management program.
• Establish supplier segmentation and strategic partnership models for critical categories.
• Implement performance management frameworks including KPIs, scorecards, and business reviews.
• Drive supplier accountability across safety, quality, delivery, and commercial performance.
• Build long-term strategic partnerships with key suppliers to drive innovation and continuous improvement.

• Market Intelligence & Benchmarking

• Provide forward-looking market insights to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Conduct ongoing analysis of market trends, cost drivers, supplier capacity, and emerging risks.
• Benchmark pricing, supplier strategies, and commercial models against industry peers.
• Establish regular reporting mechanisms to share market intelligence with leadership and stakeholders.
• Monitor emerging technologies and innovative service delivery models impacting category performance.

• Contract Compliance, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Drive disciplined contract compliance and continuous improvement across categories.
• Implement processes to validate invoiced pricing against contracted terms and eliminate commercial leakage.
• Develop analytics and reporting to track compliance, supplier performance, and financial outcomes.
• Partner with Finance and IT to enhance visibility into spend, contract adherence, and savings realization.

• Financial Integration & Business Impact

• Align category strategies with financial planning and enterprise performance.
• Provide category inputs into budgeting and forecasting processes, including cost drivers and savings projections.
• Support development of financial models by aligning commercial inputs with operational requirements.
• Identify and deliver cost reduction opportunities that directly impact EBITDA and cash flow.
• Ensure category strategies support working capital optimization and cost predictability.

• Supply Chain Risk & Business Continuity

• Lead proactive risk management and resilience planning.
• Identify and manage risks related to supplier performance, pricing volatility, and market disruptions.
• Develop mitigation strategies including supplier diversification, contract protections, and demand planning.
• Provide leadership with insights on external risks including market, regulatory, and geopolitical factors.

• Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary commercial partner to the business.
• Engage and influence senior leadership to gain alignment and approval for category strategies.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Project Management, Finance, and Legal to ensure integrated execution.
• Drive adoption of standardized contracting and sourcing practices across business units.
• Lead change management efforts as category management and contracting capabilities mature.

• Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Build and lead a high-performing category management organization.
• Lead and develop category managers, contracts specialists, and sourcing professionals.
• Define roles aligned with category ownership and strategic execution.
• Provide coaching to elevate commercial, analytical, and negotiation capabilities.
• Foster a community of practice to share best practices and continuously improve performance.

• Process, Systems & Digital Enablement

• Drive modernization of contracting and category management processes.
• Support implementation and optimization of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems.
• Partner with IT and data teams to develop analytics, dashboards, and reporting tools.
• Improve data quality, spend visibility, and supplier insights to enable better decision-making.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement and contracting workflows.

Required Education

• 10+ years of experience in a strategic procurement, sourcing, contract management role
• 2-5 years previous supervisory experience
• Excellent networking, interpersonal and collaborative skills
• Proven organization skills and strong attention to detail
• Strong computer skills including but not limited to, Oracle EBS and MS-Office Suite
• Able to handle multiple competing tasks efficiently in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent problem solving, mathematical, and analytical skills

Preferred Education

• Interstate natural gas pipeline experience
• Mechanical, structural or electrical knowledge, as well as understanding of natural gas pipeline system operations.