Job Description
Senior Category Specialist Strategic Sourcing
About the Opportunity
A leading energy infrastructure and industrial organization is seeking a Senior Category Specialist to lead strategic sourcing initiatives for high-value, complex spend categories across North America.
This role is responsible for developing and executing category strategies, leading supplier negotiations, managing commercial contracts, and driving measurable business value through cost optimization, supplier performance, and risk management. The successful candidate will partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and other business functions to support strategic procurement initiatives across a diverse portfolio of technical and operational categories.
Experience sourcing technical services within industrial, manufacturing, energy, or infrastructure environments is highly desirable.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing & Category Management
Experience sourcing one or more of the following technical categories:
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.
Core Competencies
This position is primarily office-based with occasional domestic travel to support supplier meetings, business operations, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
A leading energy infrastructure and industrial organization is seeking a Senior Category Specialist to lead strategic sourcing initiatives for high-value, complex spend categories across North America.
This role is responsible for developing and executing category strategies, leading supplier negotiations, managing commercial contracts, and driving measurable business value through cost optimization, supplier performance, and risk management. The successful candidate will partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and other business functions to support strategic procurement initiatives across a diverse portfolio of technical and operational categories.
Experience sourcing technical services within industrial, manufacturing, energy, or infrastructure environments is highly desirable.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing & Category Management
- 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.
- 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.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employment sponsorship.
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.
Core Competencies
- Strategic Category Management
- Commercial Negotiation
- Supplier Relationship Management
- Contract Management
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
- Procurement Analytics
- Cost Optimization
- Market Intelligence
- Risk Management
- Executive Communication
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Continuous Improvement
- Business Partnership
- Project Leadership
This position is primarily office-based with occasional domestic travel to support supplier meetings, business operations, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Houston, TX |
| Industry | Accounting and Auditing Services |
| Company Size | 100 to 499 employees |
| Year Founded | 1979 |
| Website | http://www.rwr.com |
About Company
When Richard, Wayne & Roberts began in 1979, our goal was to operate on a level of professionalism commensurate with that of the companies we work for. We strive to be a business partner, a resource our clients can turn to with confidence to fill key positions in their companies.
Based on our repeat business rate (more than 70 percent of our assignments come from existing clients), we have proven that we are a trustworthy partner. Our recruiters all specialize in a particular industry. Because they do, they know exactly where to start looking for qualified candidates. They also understand special terminology, grasp job requirements quickly, and can better evaluate candidates. Finally, they know what the salary structures are and can help you formulate competitive offers.
We dedicate our work to the development and success of the recruiters we hire, the clients we represent, and the candidates we serve. Richard, Wayne and Roberts' goal is to leave a legacy of lives more fulfilled by our commitment to each of our candidates' and clients' unique talents and needs.
With over 40 years of successful service as a professional search firm, RWR consistently ranks in the Top 5 Permanent Placement Recruiting Firms by the Houston Business Journal; and as one of the Best Professional Recruiting and Executive Search Firms in America, by Forbes.
We recruit on a local, national, and international basis as required for each client engagement.
We are client-focused, keeping you our top priority throughout the placement process.
As an external representative of your company, we assure all candidates are treated with honesty and respect throughout the job search process, and we pride ourselves on communicating feedback promptly.
Skills
- Accountingunmatched
- Analysis Skillsunmatched
- Business Intelligence Softwareunmatched
- Business Operationsunmatched
- Business Strategyunmatched
- Candidate Sourcingunmatched
- Category Developmentunmatched
- Category Managementunmatched
- Competitive Analysis/Strategyunmatched
- Continuous Improvementunmatched
- Contract Managementunmatched
- Contract Negotiationunmatched
- Corrective Actionunmatched
- Cost Controlunmatched
- Cross-Functionalunmatched
- Data Analysisunmatched
- Equipment Maintenance/Repairunmatched
- Financeunmatched
- Industrial Organizationunmatched
- Instrumentationunmatched
- Leadershipunmatched
- Legalunmatched
- Logisticsunmatched
- Maintenance - Electricalunmatched
- Maintenance Servicesunmatched
- Manufacturingunmatched
- Microsoft Excelunmatched
- Microsoft PowerPointunmatched
- Multitaskingunmatched
- Negotiation Skillsunmatched
- On Site Supportunmatched
- Performance Analysisunmatched
- Performance Metricsunmatched
- Petrochemicalsunmatched
- Power BIunmatched
- Process Improvementunmatched
- Procurement Managementunmatched
- Procurement Strategyunmatched
- Purchasing/Procurementunmatched
- Regulatory Requirementsunmatched
- Reporting Dashboardsunmatched
- Requirements Managementunmatched
- Riskunmatched
- Risk Managementunmatched
- SQL (Structured Query Language)unmatched
- Sourcing Strategyunmatched
- Strategic Planningunmatched
- Supplier Optimizationunmatched
- Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)unmatched
- Supply Chainunmatched
- Supply Chain Managementunmatched
- Support Documentationunmatched
- Team Playerunmatched
- Testingunmatched
- Total Cost of Ownershipunmatched
- Trend Analysisunmatched
- Vendor/Supplier Evaluationunmatched
- Vendor/Supplier Planningunmatched
- Vendor/Supplier Quality Managementunmatched
- Vendor/Supplier Relationsunmatched
- Vendor/Supplier Sourcingunmatched
- Willing to Travelunmatched
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