Category Management Specialist (New Orleans, Louisiana, United States)

Entergy•New Orleans, LA

48d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Category Management Specialist utilizes significant supply chain, category management and contracting knowledge and experience to implement Supplier Commercial Excellence for an assigned collection of categories. The role is Supply Chain's single point of contact and strategic lead for a given category or categories and supports the placement of Entergy's multi-billion-dollar third party spend into the appropriate supply markets. The position is responsible for the utilization of the standard Category Management process of Plan-Strategy-Source-Perform across assigned categories and will operate across multiple cross-functional teams to leverage end-to-end value for an assigned portfolio of spend. The senior staff specialist operates autonomously, without supervision, and in certain instances provides oversight, support, guidance, and training in the technical and professional skills areas to other category management specialists. The role is recognized inside supply chain as a subject matter technical adviser on category management, strategic sourcing, contract strategy, methodology, analysis, and contract provisions. The primary objective of the role is to create value through the supply chain in terms of safety, cost, risk mitigation and enhanced supplier performance, safety. Key interfaces for this position are internal business customers such as a business unit, Tax, Finance, Risk Management, Safety, Human Resources, Legal, external suppliers and industry organizations. Within supply chain, common interfaces for this role are Procurement Operations, Capital Projects & Decommissioning and Warehousing and Inventory Management, Safety, and Supplier Diversity.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, accounting, engineering, legal, or other related discipline.
Category Management Specialist, I: 0+ years of combined supplier contracting, vendor management, or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 4+ years of supplier contracting, vendor management, or other related supply chain experience.
Category Management Specialist, II: 2+ years of combined supplier contracting, vendor management, or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 6+ years of supplier contracting, vendor management, or other related supply chain experience.
Category Management Specialist, III: 3+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 6+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience.
Senior Category Management Specialist: 5+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 8+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience.
Deep understanding of Entergy's business model and key interfaces across the business and supply chain.
Masterful 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.
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.
Mastery in the 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.
Proficient in coaching/applying the development and implementation of sourcing strategies; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
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.
Proficiency in the ability to extract data and applying market intelligence to assess supply market status and evolution.
Deep expertise in developing "cost to serve" for customers; coaches/guides others.
Highly proficient in creating clear strategies to develop supplier bases; strategies are used as exemplars across supply chain.
Extensive knowledge 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).
Masterful application of project management principles to ensure systematic, thorough completion of multiple projects/priorities, identifying critical pathways and risks to delivery.
Deep expertise in the application of commercial skills and financial acumen to category management, with the inclusion of 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.
Ability to communicate autonomously with category management stakeholders, including executive level, delivering key messages concisely, supported by relevant data, influencing skills to develop best outcomes.
Proficient at building broad relationships and effective networks with all stakeholders.
Deep understanding of change management relative to category management solutions for the business.
Deep knowledge to effectively manage the costs of the business; understand the impact of contract terms on Entergy cost structure.

Nice To Haves

Minimum 2+ years' energy industry supply chain experience in category management or strategic sourcing
Certification from an industry accreditation organization such as CPSM, APICS, etc.

Responsibilities

Actively promote strong safety behaviors and ensure the team always puts safety first.
Utilize key tools, programs, and proactive field visits to assure standards and behaviors.
Monitor and influence suppliers to proactively identify any safety concerns.
Perform storm role duties as assigned through the Storm Assignment Management System (SAMS).
Develop and execute category and subcategory strategies, checklist, manage spend and regularly track market trends, Ability to work strategically and tactically to deliver positive business results.
Systematic process to review commercial, process, technical, risk management and sustainability strategies for product categories and subcategories.
Supplier management strategy in place, linked with supplier segment, category strategies, and Vendor Management Optimization System (VMOS), with business reviews to ensure supplier performance.
Supplier portfolio is regularly reviewed based on price/performance and cost structure comparison.
Recurrent effort to bundle purchasing and to forecast demand across departments/business units.
Ability influence and work across Cross-functional teams and levels in the organization to optimize supply-chain, redesign-to cost and make-or-buy strategies.