Category Manager, Corporate Services & Procurement Enablement

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JOB SUMMARY
Reporting to the Director, Supply Chain Management, the Category Manager, Corporate Services & Procurement Enablement owns category strategy and execution for Corporate Services, operational consumables, and the company’s Purchasing Card (P-Card) program. This is a hands-on leadership role that will initially lead through commercial expertise, category ownership, and cross-functional influence. As the portfolio and organization grow, the position has the opportunity to build, lead, coach, and develop a team supporting Corporate Services, indirect procurement, and P-Card activities. The role will develop and execute category strategies, lead complex sourcing and negotiations, and implement scalable purchasing channels as Rio Grande LNG moves from construction into commercial operations.
This role combines strategic category leadership with hands-on implementation. Initially, it will place significant emphasis on establishing the P-Card program, preferred-supplier arrangements, catalogs, punchouts, and other efficient buying channels while simultaneously advancing priority Corporate Services sourcing and contracting initiatives. As these programs mature, the role will increasingly emphasize forward-looking category management, demand planning, supplier performance, and value creation. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted commercial advisor across HR, HSSE, Finance, Accounts Payable, Facilities, Operations, Maintenance, Communications, Marketing, Legal, and other corporate functions, with the opportunity to help establish the commercial strategies, suppliers, controls, and buying channels that will support the business.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Category Strategy & Demand Planning: 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 in partnership with business stakeholders.
Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Negotiation: Build and lead end-to-end sourcing events, including requirements development, market and supplier analysis, evaluation criteria,
commercial modeling, negotiation, and executive-level award recommendations. Serve as the accountable procurement lead for high-value and high-complexity agreements and establish preferred-supplier arrangements for priority categories.
Contracting & Risk Management: Lead business and commercial redlines, negotiate pricing and contract terms, identify material commercial risks, and partner with Legal, Finance, Tax, HSSE, Insurance, and other subject-matter experts to establish appropriate risk allocation and commercially sound agreements.
P-Card Implementation & Adoption: Own implementation and enterprise rollout of the P-Card program, including program design, cardholder and approver structures, SAP and Accounts Payable integration and reconciliation, training, communications, and change management.
P-Card Governance & Controls: Serve as enterprise P-Card program owner; maintain policies, transaction and monthly limits, Merchant Category Code controls, cardholder lifecycle processes, transaction-monitoring routines, dispute resolution, and the issuing-bank relationship. Promote compliant use of the program and optimize appropriate spend and rebate value.
Buying-Channel Optimization: Route low-value, high-volume purchases to the appropriate channel, 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 cost, improve compliance, and simplify purchasing.
Stakeholder Advisory & Change Leadership: Build trusted relationships with department heads and senior stakeholders, participate in business planning, provide data-driven market intelligence, shape demand before requisitions are raised, and lead the adoption of new sourcing strategies, suppliers, controls, and buying channels.
Supplier & Contract Performance: Establish proportionate supplier-governance practices, including scorecards, service-level and KPI structures, review cadences, issue resolution, and continuous improvement. Proactively manage renewals, amendments, terminations, obligations, and expiration exposure for assigned agreements.
Process, Analytics & Continuous Improvement: Develop practical 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.
Cross-Functional & People Leadership: Contribute to Supply Chain Management maturity by sharing best practices, supporting SAP S/4HANA Procure-to-Pay processes, partnering with Finance and Accounts Payable on P-Card integration and controls, and providing subject-matter guidance on Corporate Services, indirect procurement, and P-Card practices. Mentor colleagues and, as the function grows, help define resource needs, onboard new team members, delegate work effectively, and coach direct reports or other assigned resources.
Success in this role will be demonstrated through controlled P-Card implementation and adoption, increased use of efficient and compliant buying channels, established category strategies for priority spend areas, improved supplier and contract performance visibility, and measurable commercial and operational value.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or a related field.
10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, and/or commercial contracting.
Proven ability to develop and optimize category strategies, sourcing programs, procurement processes, and buying channels in evolving environments.
Strong expertise in commercial contracting (including the ability to lead commercial and legal redlines), negotiation, risk management, procurement governance, and internal controls.
Ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional collaboration within 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 leader with strong communication skills and a track record of delivering results in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS
Experience owning or materially contributing to a P-Card, commercial-card, or Procure-to-Pay program, including experience in at least two of the following areas: 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.
National Contracts Management Association (NCMA) certifications: CPCM, CCCM, CCMA, or equivalent.
Supply Chain Management certifications 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/project phase to steady-state commercial operations.
Familiarity with CLM platforms (e.g., Sirion, Icertis, Agiloft) and e-sourcing tools.
Work Environment & Physical Expectations
This position operates primarily in a professional office environment, with occasional work within or outside a complex construction environment. The role routinely uses standard office equipment, including computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and related equipment.