Category Manager

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

19h•$116,255 - $151,133

About The Position

Project Procurement Management serves in a key commercial leadership role supporting development and construction of energy infrastructure. The position leads project procurement—including strategic sourcing, category management, contracting, and commercial management—for major capital projects and construction programs such as natural gas and combined-cycle power generation, renewable energy, and infrastructure supporting large-load and data center customers. The Category Manager partners with major capital project teams to develop and execute procurement, contracting, sourcing, and supplier strategies from early project development and engineering through construction, commissioning, commercial operation, and contract closeout. The role leads negotiation, award, and administration of EPC, construction, engineering, major equipment supply, and professional services contracts, working with contractors, OEMs, engineering firms, suppliers, and internal teams across project management, engineering, construction, legal, finance, risk management, supply chain, and business leadership. The position provides commercial leadership during project execution, overseeing contract administration, change management, contractor negotiations, commercial issue resolution, claims, milestones and payments, contractual notices, performance security, warranties, supplier performance, compliance, and closeout. It also develops procurement and sourcing strategies using market intelligence, supplier capabilities, competitive sourcing, total cost of ownership, enterprise spend, supplier relationship management, and project lessons learned to improve commercial terms, competition, risk mitigation, and sustainable value. The role also develops and manages the company’s overall strategy to control costs within budget, generate savings, rationalize inventory, and maximize working capital. It establishes implementation timing, support resources, standardization events, and communications; performs supplier relationship management and contract administration; aligns buying strategies and contracts with inventory strategies and operating company needs; uses technology to improve internal processes; communicates program metrics; supports demand management; and helps optimize logistics processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least 8 years of relevant work experience; alternatively, an Associate’s degree in a related field and at least 9 years of relevant work experience; or a high school diploma or equivalent and at least 10 years of relevant work experience.
Project management skills.
Investigative nature and process-oriented mindset.

Nice To Haves

MBA or purchasing certification.
Experience with lean manufacturing, kaizen, continuous improvement, or similar production tools.

Responsibilities

Lead project procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, contracting, and commercial management for major capital projects and construction programs.
Develop and execute project procurement, contracting, sourcing, and supplier strategies throughout project development, engineering, construction, commissioning, operation, and closeout.
Lead negotiation, award, and administration of EPC, construction, engineering, major equipment supply, and professional services contracts.
Oversee contract administration, change management, change orders, contractor negotiations, commercial issue resolution, claims, milestone and payment management, contractual notices, performance security, warranties, supplier performance, contract compliance, and closeout.
Support project teams in evaluating and resolving commercial matters affecting cost, schedule, contractual risk, supplier performance, and project execution.
Develop sourcing strategies using market intelligence, supplier capabilities, competitive sourcing, total cost of ownership, enterprise spend, supplier relationship management, and lessons learned.
Identify opportunities to strengthen commercial terms, increase supplier competition, improve contracting strategies, mitigate supply chain and commercial risk, and deliver value.
Develop and manage the company’s overall strategy to control costs within budget, generate savings, rationalize inventory, and maximize working capital.
Manage strategy implementation by establishing timing, support resources, standardization events, and communication tools.
Perform supplier relationship management and contract administration for programs.
Work with Supply Chain teams to align buying strategies and contracts with inventory strategies and Operating Company needs.
Use technology to create internal process efficiencies.
Communicate program performance metrics to appropriate management levels.
Work with Business Units and Supply Chain on demand management strategies.
Assist in optimizing logistics processes and develop solutions to ongoing operating problems with other supply chain members.