Senior Category Buyer - Energy & Strategic Categories

Job Category: Purchasing

Requisition Number: SENIO
003051

• Posted :
  October 16, 2026
• Full-Time
• Hybrid

Showing 1 location

USA
Houston, TX 77042, USA

At Vallourec, we are seeking individuals whose passion and dedication match the strength and resilience of the steel we produce. The Senior Category Buyer is responsible for strategically sourcing and managing energy (electricity and natural gas), thread protectors, and other assigned strategic categories for Vallourec North America facilities. The role supports immediate operational requirements while driving long-term value through category strategy development, supplier relationship management, risk mitigation, market intelligence, and total cost of ownership initiatives.

Category Strategy & Sourcing

• Develop, implement, and maintain category strategies for Electricity, Natural Gas, Thread Protectors, and other assigned strategic categories
• Identify and execute cost reduction, value creation, process improvement, and supply chain optimization initiatives
• Lead competitive sourcing events, RFIs, RFQs, contract negotiations, and supplier selection activities
• Evaluate sourcing opportunities considering total cost of ownership, market conditions, operational requirements, and long-term business objectives
• Support the integration and strategic management of additional categories assigned by management

Energy Procurement & Risk Management

• Develop and execute energy procurement strategies for electricity and natural gas
• Monitor energy markets, price trends, regulatory developments, and supply-demand fundamentals
• Analyze fixed-price, index-based, and risk-management alternatives
• Lead the evaluation, development, and execution of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) opportunities and other energy transition initiatives across Vallourec North America operations
• Conduct market assessments, financial analysis, risk evaluations, and business case development to identify renewable energy solutions that support both economic and environmental objectives
• Coordinate cross-functional feasibility studies involving Operations, Finance, Sustainability, Legal, and external stakeholders to assess technical, commercial, regulatory, and contractual impacts
• Develop implementation strategies and manage project execution activities from opportunity identification through contract negotiation, approval, and operational deployment
• Monitor performance and value realization of PPA and sustainability projects, ensuring alignment with corporate emissions reduction goals, energy cost optimization targets, and long-term business strategy
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers
• Lead supplier development initiatives and mitigate supplier risks

Contract Management

• Negotiate commercial agreements and contract terms
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations and procurement policies
• Manage renewals, amendments, and commercial negotiations

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, Quality, Supply Chain, Sustainability, and Legal stakeholders
• Provide procurement expertise and market insights

Market Intelligence & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor market trends, supplier developments, technological advancements, and regulatory changes
• Develop category dashboards and performance metrics
• Benchmark suppliers and industry practices

We're looking for individuals who bring the right mix of experience, mindset, and motivation:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field; inlieu of a degree,10 or more years of relevant experience is acceptable
• 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, or supply chain roles
• 3+ years of experience sourcing energy, industrial consumables, thread protectors, technical materials, industrial services, or other strategic categories is preferred
• Working knowledge of electricity and natural-gas procurement concepts, utility/supplier billing structures, and commodity-market risk is strongly preferred
• Ability to understand technically specified products and evaluate supplier performance using total cost and productivity metrics, particularly for Thread Protectors and Strategic commodities
• Strong analytical capability with energy pricing, indexation, tariffs, consumption data, budgeting, and commercial scenario modeling
• Strong knowledge of…