Manager Electric Procurement

CenterPoint Energy • Houston, TX

10d

About The Position

CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years.

Our Vision: Our vision is to become the most admired utility in the United States through the execution of our long-term growth strategy. We have an unwavering commitment to safely and reliably deliver electricity and natural gas to millions of people.

Our Commitment: CenterPoint Energy is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where business results are achieved through the skills, abilities and talents of our diverse workforce.
At CenterPoint Energy, individuals are respected for their contributions toward our company objectives. We strive for an inclusive work environment across all levels that is reflective of the available workforce in the communities we serve.
Job Summary:
The Manager, Utility Procurement – [Services or Materials] is responsible for strategically leading category management, sourcing direction, supplier relationship management, and long-term planning across assigned electric utility categories supporting Houston Electric Operations and Indiana Electric Operations.
The primary responsibility of this role is to oversee and direct strategic procurement activities, including category strategy development, commercial frameworks, supplier performance governance, and risk mitigation.
The Manager also provides oversight of tactical and transactional activities to ensure continuity of business operations but does not serve as the primary executor of those tasks. Tactical and transactional activities are performed by supporting team members, with the Manager intervening only for escalations, risk mitigation, or alignment of cross-functional priorities.
This role ensures material and/or service readiness for resiliency initiatives, capital programs, maintenance work, and emergency/storm response by guiding the procurement strategy and ensuring the supply base is positioned to support enterprise-wide operational objectives.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of sourcing/category management, contract negotiation/management, vendor management experience required.
• Experience with direct categories in utilities or construction (Services or Materials).
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-level strategy, negotiations, and supplier performance governance.
• Experience presenting to leadership and influencing cross-functional decisions.
• Ability to oversee procurement/strategic operations without directly owning tactical tasks.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Ability to influence others and to act as a change agent within the department and company.

Nice To Haves

• Electric or gas utility industry experience.
• Knowledge of SRP programs, long-lead equipment, and contractor-based operational models.
• Experience with emergency/storm response support in a utility environment.
• Prior experience using SAP Procurement Tools for sourcing, spend and contracts management.
• Certifications: CPSM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent.
• Highly functional in Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Strong analytical, financial modeling, and commercial evaluation skills.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Category Leadership•Own and develop multi-year category strategies for assigned [service or material] categories across TX and IN.•Lead strategic supplier segmentation, market intelligence, and commercial strategy development.•Direct the creation of sourcing roadmaps aligned with Operations, Engineering, Material Management, and SRP requirements.•Establish long-term commercial agreements, pricing frameworks, and supply resiliency strategies.•Govern strategic supplier relationships and lead QBRs, performance reviews, and executive-level discussions.•Serve as the primary advisor to Operations leadership on category risks, market conditions, and supplier capability.
• Sourcing Governance & Commercial Oversight•Oversee development of sourcing strategies, bid evaluations, negotiation plans, and award recommendations.•Provide directions to teams executing RFPs, negotiations, and contracting efforts.•Ensure all high-value or high-risk negotiations align with enterprise strategy and risk tolerance.•Partner with Legal to finalize complex commercial terms and long-term agreements.
• Supplier Performance & Enterprise Risk Management •Lead supplier performance governance for strategic and critical suppliers.•Manage escalations, delivery risks, and major performance gaps.•Oversee development and monitoring of KPIs, SLAs, and vendor readiness metrics.•Guide suppliers on capacity planning, storm readiness, and program execution requirements across TX + IN.
• Operational Continuity: Tactical & Transactional Oversight -Performed by team members; Manager oversees, ensures alignment, and intervenes as needed.•Ensure tactical sourcing, PO support, invoice resolution, and coordination activities are properly executed by the procurement team.•Oversee spend analysis, forecasting inputs, inventory alignment (Materials), and contractor readiness tracking (Services).•Maintain continuity of supply and ensure no disruption to field operations.•Provide coaching, decision support, and escalation path for tactical procurement staff.
• Financial & Analytical Accountability•Set category savings targets and oversee value delivery tracking.•Review and approve financial analyses performed by supporting team members.•Maintain visibility of budget impacts, pricing changes, and market cost drivers.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement•Lead alignment with Operations, Engineering, Finance, Material Management, PMO, and leadership across TX and IN.•Represent Utility Procurement in enterprise planning sessions, SRP discussions, and reliability improvement initiatives.•Champion procurement governance standards and support broader transformation initiatives.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Paid training
• Benefits eligibility begins on your first day
• Transit subsidies
• Flexible work schedule, paid holidays and paid time off
• Access to discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in Houston
• Professional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement
• 401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contribution

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees