Category Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Category Manager is responsible for the strategic sourcing, procurement, lifecycle management, and optimization of electrical components and power generation equipment across the organization's operations. This role owns vendor relationships for medium and high voltage systems, variable frequency drives, transformers, circuit breakers, protection relays, generators, and related power distribution assets, while managing pricing agreements, warranty recovery, and inventory strategy to ensure operations are fully.

Enables operational performance through strong financial stewardship, rigorous vendor performance management, and proactive forecasting of long-lead equipment, and collaborates closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Legal, Finance, and Mobilization teams to ensure assets meet company standards for availability, reliability, and cost effectiveness.

(The following duties and responsibilities are all essential job functions, as defined by the ADA, except for those that begin with the word "may.")

• Own vendor relationships, negotiations, and KPI tracking for electrical components and power generation assets, ensuring performance, cost discipline, and reliability.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for backup generators, prime power systems, microgrids, battery storage, voltage sag protection, and grid services.
• Own a portfolio of long-lead, high-value equipment, including transformers, switch gear, breakers, control systems, and instrumentation.
• Maintain extensive knowledge of the vendor landscape and product catalogs for key industry players.
• Identify and vet niche vendors capable of supporting specialized medium voltage equipment and mobile genset configurations.
• Conduct market analysis, should-cost modeling, and trend forecasting to inform procurement decisions.
• Build and maintain a best-in-class supplier ecosystem with strong technical, quality, and delivery performance.
• Manage multi-million dollar maintenance and repair budgets, ensuring cost-efficiency without compromising part quality or safety.
• Liaison negotiations focused on long-term service level agreements (SLAs) and warranty management for high-value electrical and power generation assets.

• Develop and manage the end-to-end warranty process, tracking all claims through investigation, submission, vendor engagement, and resolution to maximize recovery.

• Plan and manage power generation equipment and electrical component inventory levels to support operational uptime and performance targets.
• Develop and implement forecasting models for long-lead items, such as transformers and breakers, to prevent supply chain bottlenecks in a high-demand environment.
• Track daily actions and deliverables with electrical components and power generation vendors to ensure alignment with performance and cost targets.

• Work directly with manufacturing and engineering teams to align procurement strategies with new-build equipment schedules and technical requirements.
• Translate complex technical specifications from the field or manufacturing floor into actionable sourcing plans and vendor RFPs.
• Partner with Engineering, Project Management, Construction, Legal, Finance, Expediting, Logistics, and Operations to ensure equipment is sourced competitively, delivered on schedule, and aligned with project needs.
• Act as the primary liaison between internal stakeholders and external OEMs or third-party repair shops.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support successful operations.

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship.
• Must be at least 18 years of age or older
• Successfully passes all applicable general pre-employment testing including but not limited to: background check, pre-employment drug screening, pre-employment fit tests, pre-employment aptitude and/or competency assessment(s)
• Daily overtime required and in person, predictable attendance in The Woodlands, TX.
• Valid U.S. Driver’s License required. Most employment is contingent upon meeting company driving…