Sr. Category Specialist

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives, including RFx development, supplier evaluation, commercial negotiations, and contract award.
• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies aligned with business objectives, market conditions, and risk profiles.
• Apply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) principles to optimize sourcing decisions and maximize long-term value.
• Continuously evaluate supply markets to identify opportunities for cost savings, innovation, and supplier optimization.
• Lead commercial negotiations for service agreements, long-term supply contracts, and other procurement agreements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contract terms in collaboration with Legal and business stakeholders.
• Balance commercial value, operational requirements, and risk mitigation in contract negotiations.
• Ensure sourcing activities comply with internal policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for strategic suppliers within assigned categories.
• Establish supplier performance metrics and conduct regular business reviews.
• Drive supplier development, continuous improvement initiatives, and corrective action plans where needed.
• Build collaborative partnerships that foster innovation and long-term value creation.
• Perform spend analysis, cost modeling, savings tracking, and market benchmarking.
• Develop executive-level reports, dashboards, and presentations that communicate sourcing performance and business impact.
• Use data analytics to identify trends, supply risks, and sourcing opportunities.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Logistics, and other business stakeholders to develop sourcing strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
• Translate business requirements into effective procurement solutions.
• Provide strategic sourcing guidance throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• Monitor supplier performance, market conditions, geopolitical developments, and supply chain risks.
• Develop mitigation strategies, including supplier diversification and contractual protections.
• Lead initiatives that improve procurement processes, strengthen governance, and enhance sourcing efficiency.
• Maintain accurate documentation to support audit readiness and procurement compliance.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Engineering, Accounting, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, or supply chain, with 10+ years preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading complex sourcing initiatives, supplier negotiations, and commercial contract management.
• Strong understanding of category strategy development and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methodologies.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced environment.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience sourcing one or more of the following technical categories: Industrial maintenance and integrity services, Inspection and testing services, Electrical and instrumentation services, Industrial maintenance and project services, Industrial chemicals and specialty products, Engineering and technical services, Industrial equipment and field services.
• Experience within the energy, manufacturing, industrial, petrochemical, chemical, pipeline, or infrastructure sectors is highly desirable.
• Experience with business intelligence and analytics tools such as Power BI, SQL, or similar reporting platforms is a plus.