Category Manager, Corporate Services & Procurement Enablement

NextDecade•Houston, TX

26d

About The Position

The Category Manager, Corporate Services & Procurement Enablement reports to the Director, Supply Chain Management and owns category strategy and execution for Corporate Services, operational consumables, and the company’s Purchasing Card (P-Card) program. This hands-on leadership role initially relies on commercial expertise, category ownership, and cross-functional influence, with the opportunity to build, lead, coach, and develop a supporting team as the portfolio and organization grow. The role develops category strategies, leads complex sourcing and negotiations, and implements scalable purchasing channels as Rio Grande LNG transitions from construction to commercial operations. The position combines strategic category leadership with practical implementation. Initial priorities include establishing the P-Card program, preferred-supplier arrangements, catalogs, punchouts, and other efficient buying channels while advancing priority Corporate Services sourcing and contracting. As programs mature, the role will place greater emphasis on category management, demand planning, supplier performance, and value creation. The Category Manager serves as a commercial advisor to functions including HR, HSSE, Finance, Accounts Payable, Facilities, Operations, Maintenance, Communications, Marketing, and Legal, helping establish commercial strategies, suppliers, controls, and buying channels. Success is measured by controlled P-Card implementation and adoption, increased use of efficient and compliant purchasing channels, established strategies for priority categories, improved supplier and contract performance visibility, and measurable commercial and operational value. The role operates primarily in a professional office environment, with occasional work within or outside a complex construction environment. It is primarily sedentary and routinely uses standard office equipment. Physical expectations include standing or sitting for a full shift, lifting up to 20 pounds, moving through office, site, and facility areas, and wearing required personal protective equipment when needed. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The position is subject to applicable federal pipeline drug and alcohol testing requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or a related field.
At least 10 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, and/or commercial contracting.
Demonstrated ability to develop and optimize category strategies, sourcing programs, procurement processes, and buying channels in evolving environments.
Strong expertise in commercial contracting, including leading commercial and legal redlines, negotiation, risk management, procurement governance, and internal controls.
Ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional collaboration in matrixed organizations.
Deep understanding of indirect procurement categories, supplier management, and purchasing models, supported by experience with ERP, Procure-to-Pay, sourcing, and contract management systems.
Strategic, analytical, and adaptable leadership, strong communication skills, and a track record of delivering results in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

Nice To Haves

Experience owning or materially contributing to a P-Card, commercial-card, or Procure-to-Pay program, including experience in at least two of implementation, policy and controls, transaction monitoring, training, bank relationship management, or ERP and Accounts Payable integration.
Experience in energy, LNG, oil and gas, manufacturing, industrial operations, or another capital-intensive environment.
NCMA certification such as CPCM, CCCM, CCMA, or equivalent.
Supply Chain Management certification such as CPSM, CSCP, MCIPS, or equivalent.
Certified Purchasing Card Professional (CPCP) or equivalent commercial-card certification.
Experience implementing or optimizing Procure-to-Pay processes, preferably in SAP S/4HANA, including P-Card integration or reconciliation.
Experience with commercial-card platforms and issuing-bank relationship management.
Experience transitioning procurement operations from a construction or project phase to steady-state commercial operations.
Familiarity with CLM platforms such as Sirion, Icertis, or Agiloft, and with e-sourcing tools.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute category strategies for Professional Services, HR services and programs, HSSE services, Facilities, Travel, Marketing, and indirect consumables, including safety supplies and PPE, MRO, industrial and operational consumables, and office supplies.
Establish category roadmaps, value targets, implementation plans, and forward-looking demand requirements with business stakeholders.
Lead end-to-end sourcing events, including requirements development, market and supplier analysis, evaluation criteria, commercial modeling, negotiation, and executive-level award recommendations.
Act as the accountable procurement lead for high-value and complex agreements and establish preferred-supplier arrangements for priority categories.
Lead business and commercial contract redlines, negotiate pricing and terms, identify material commercial risks, and work with Legal, Finance, Tax, HSSE, Insurance, and other experts on risk allocation and sound agreements.
Own the design and enterprise rollout of the P-Card program, including cardholder and approver structures, SAP and Accounts Payable integration and reconciliation, training, communications, and change management.
Own P-Card program policies, limits, Merchant Category Code controls, cardholder lifecycle processes, transaction monitoring, dispute resolution, and the issuing-bank relationship; promote compliant use and optimize appropriate spend and rebate value.
Route low-value, high-volume purchases to suitable channels, including P-Card, catalog or punchout, blanket purchase order, or formal sourcing.
Establish preferred-supplier and catalog programs for high-volume consumables and safety supplies to reduce transaction costs, improve compliance, and simplify purchasing.
Build relationships with department heads and senior stakeholders, participate in business planning, provide data-driven market intelligence, shape demand before requisitions, and lead adoption of sourcing strategies, suppliers, controls, and buying channels.
Establish proportionate supplier-governance practices, including scorecards, service-level and KPI structures, review cadences, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
Manage agreement renewals, amendments, terminations, obligations, and expiration exposure.
Develop category playbooks, sourcing tools, contracting templates, P-Card procedures, dashboards, and reporting.
Use spend, savings, pipeline, compliance, rebate, cycle-time, supplier-performance, and renewal data to improve decisions and demonstrate value.
Support Supply Chain Management maturity and SAP S/4HANA Procure-to-Pay processes, and partner with Finance and Accounts Payable on P-Card integration and controls.
Provide subject-matter guidance on Corporate Services, indirect procurement, and P-Card practices; mentor colleagues and, as the function grows, help define resource needs, onboard team members, delegate work, and coach direct reports or other assigned resources.