Category Manager

Mazama Energy is seeking an experienced Category Manager – Drilling & Completions to lead strategic sourcing, category management, supplier negotiations, and commercial strategy across drilling, completions, and related field operations.

This position will serve as the primary Procurement partner to Mazama’s Drilling, Completions, and Operations teams and will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that support safe, reliable, cost-effective, and schedule-driven geothermal development.

The ideal candidate will bring significant experience within geothermal energy, or a upstream energy environment, with direct exposure to drilling, completions and operations. The individual must understand how field operations execute, the commercial models used by oilfield service providers, and the operational consequences of supplier performance, pricing structures, equipment availability, standby costs, and contractual terms.

This is a strategic commercial role requiring strong industry knowledge, negotiation capability, supplier-market awareness, and the ability to work directly with technical and operational stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities Category Strategy & Management

• Develop and execute comprehensive category strategies for drilling, completions, well construction, and related operational services.
• Partner with Drilling, Completions, Operations and Project teams to understand upcoming activity, demand forecasts, operational requirements, and sourcing priorities.
• Develop short- and long-term sourcing plans aligned with Mazama’s drilling and development schedule.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate spend, leverage volume, standardize commercial structures, and establish preferred supplier relationships.
• Maintain strong awareness of market conditions, supplier capacity, industry pricing trends, equipment availability, and emerging supply-chain risks.
• Develop and maintain category plans, sourcing calendars, supplier strategies, and market intelligence.

Strategic Sourcing & RFP Management

• Lead complex RFP, RFQ, and competitive sourcing processes for drilling and completions categories.
• Partner with technical stakeholders to develop scopes of work, bid packages, commercial requirements, and evaluation criteria.
• Develop qualified bidder lists based on technical capability, operational performance, safety, capacity, commercial competitiveness, and supplier risk.
• Ensure sourcing decisions consider total cost, operational performance, supplier capacity, risk, and long-term value

Commercial Negotiations

• Lead negotiations with drilling contractors, completion service providers, equipment suppliers, and other upstream service companies.
• Develop rate sheets, pricing agreements, preferred supplier agreements, and longer-term commercial structures where appropriate.
• Partner with Legal on contract negotiations, commercial terms, and supplier risk.
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with critical suppliers.
• Lead supplier business reviews and commercial performance discussions.
• Develop supplier scorecards covering safety, operational performance, service quality, commercial performance, responsiveness, and cost.
• Resolve commercial disputes, pricing discrepancies, claims, and supplier-performance issues.

Operational & Field Partnership

• Develop strong working relationships with Drilling, Completions, and Operations personnel.
• Understand field execution requirements and ensure Procurement processes support rather than impede operations.
• Participate in planning discussions for upcoming wells and campaigns.
• Support urgent operational requirements while maintaining appropriate commercial controls.
• Understand the operational impact of supplier delays, equipment failures, standby time, mobilization…