Category Manager, Drilling

Fervo Energy•Houston, TX

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Category Manager will own sourcing, supplier relationships, and commercial negotiations, ensuring a seamless flow of materials and services that meet cost, quality, safety, and sustainability standards. The role supports all phases of geothermal drilling operations and requires expertise in supply chain best practices, experience with complex drilling projects, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment. The Category Manager reports to the Senior Category Manager. The position is based at Fervo Energy’s Houston headquarters and follows a hybrid schedule, with employees expected to work in the office three days per week. Some travel to Fervo operational sites may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management or a related field.
At least 4 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing or category management in energy, such as geothermal or exploration oil and gas.
Strong understanding of drilling equipment, well construction materials, and related services for geothermal or conventional horizontal drilling.
Demonstrated success negotiating high-value contracts and managing complex supplier relationships.
Proficiency with ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle.
Advanced Excel and analytical skills for data management and reporting.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience influencing senior leaders, leading cross-functional teams, and mentoring and developing talent.
A self-starter with a track record of developing, implementing, and managing strategic supply-chain initiatives.
Ability to influence management through high-quality, well-structured written and verbal communications that connect business strategies to their impacts.
Strong analytical, critical-thinking, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

Set, develop, and execute category management strategies for geothermal drilling materials, equipment, and services, including casing, wellhead systems, drilling fluids, and directional drilling tools.
Conduct market analysis and communicate trends that may affect stakeholders and category strategies.
Collaborate with stakeholders and senior leadership to forecast demand, define scope, identify risks, and assess supplier capabilities.
Manage bid solicitation, evaluation, negotiation, contract execution, implementation, and post-award management.
Develop and implement improvements to policies, processes, forecasting, and supplier relationship management.
Build a supplier ecosystem emphasizing technical expertise, quality, delivery performance, and cost competitiveness.
Maintain supplier and service-provider relationships to support on-time delivery and high-quality drilling operations.
Monitor supplier performance through QBRs and KPIs, and manage corrective actions, continuous improvement, and supplier development programs.
Manage supplier contract discussions, including statements of work, service-level agreements, and regulatory compliance.
Negotiate terms and pricing to achieve best-value agreements and collaborative supplier partnerships.
Review supplier contract performance and resolve supplier issues and disputes.
Identify and mitigate supply-chain risks, including disruptions, quality issues, logistical bottlenecks, and regulatory changes.
Ensure procurement and sourcing activities comply with company policies, industry standards, and applicable health, safety, and environmental regulations.
Coordinate with drilling engineers, field operations, finance, legal, and other stakeholders to align supply-chain strategies with project timelines and budgets.
Guide and mentor junior supply-chain team members and promote continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision plan options.
Employer-paid basic life insurance.
Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
401(k) plan with up to 6% match.
Flexible paid time off.
Paid parental leave.
Family-building, fertility, hormonal health, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting support through Carrot.
Dependent care FSA for eligible child and elder care expenses.
Annual Lifestyle Spending Account for eligible wellness expenses, including fitness, financial planning, pet insurance, and pet care.
Employee ownership opportunities through the Employee Stock Purchase Program.
Stock option grants and bonus opportunities for eligible roles.