Procurement Specialist

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Join a leading energy utility serving more than 8 million customers across multiple states and backed by 150+ years of industry experience. With approximately 8,800 employees and $48+ billion in assets, the organization is investing in resilient infrastructure, modern technology, and reliable electric and natural gas delivery while transforming its procurement organization toward a more strategic, category-focused model. This Houston-based hybrid contract opportunity offers the chance to influence sourcing strategies, supplier relationships, and critical business decisions within a large-scale energy environment.

 

The Procurement Specialist will support Direct Procurement and Sourcing with a focus on strategic sourcing and category management rather than transactional purchasing. This role will lead competitive sourcing events, develop category and supplier strategies, negotiate commercial agreements, analyze spend and market conditions, and serve as a trusted advisor to business stakeholders. The Procurement Specialist will help advance a procurement model centered on market intelligence, supplier performance, risk mitigation, and long-term value creation.

 

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute strategic sourcing and category strategies aligned with operational, financial, and supply chain objectives.
  • Lead competitive sourcing events from requirements development through supplier selection and award.
  • Develop and manage RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs and conduct structured supplier evaluations.
  • Lead supplier negotiations involving pricing, commercial terms, legal terms and conditions, and contractual agreements.
  • Perform spend analysis, market intelligence, Total Cost of Ownership evaluations, and supplier market assessments.
  • Identify supply risks and develop sourcing and supplier mitigation strategies.
  • Manage supplier relationships and support ongoing Supplier Relationship Management and performance initiatives.
  • Oversee contract lifecycle activities and ensure sourcing agreements support category objectives.
  • Partner with business stakeholders to understand requirements, challenge assumptions, and develop data-driven recommendations.
  • Lead cross-functional sourcing initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
  • Present sourcing strategies, recommendations, risks, and commercial analyses to business and leadership stakeholders.
  • Apply knowledge of Source-to-Pay and Procure-to-Pay processes while maintaining a strategic rather than transactional focus.

 

Qualifications

  • Professional experience in Strategic Sourcing, Category Management, Supply Chain, or Procurement required.
  • Demonstrated experience leading competitive sourcing events and developing RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs.
  • Experience developing and executing category and sourcing strategies.
  • Commercial negotiation experience, including pricing and contractual terms and conditions.
  • Experience with Supplier Relationship Management and supplier performance oversight.
  • Experience conducting spend analysis, market intelligence, TCO analysis, and supply risk assessments.
  • Working knowledge of Source-to-Pay (S2P) and Procure-to-Pay (P2P) processes.
  • Experience with contract lifecycle management and supplier agreements.
  • Experience leading cross-functional sourcing projects and influencing business stakeholders.
  • Experience developing data-driven sourcing recommendations and executive-level presentations.
  • Ability to work a hybrid schedule in Houston, TX.

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