Category Manager

Job Posting End Date

09-15-2025

Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.

Job Summary

Act as lead for assigned Procurement projects, programs, and sourcing categories. Oversee the specific projects and sourcing categories by providing leadership to team members in a variety of strategic areas including sourcing, procurement, contracts, supplier relationship management, supplier development, and strategy development and execution. Position will have responsibility for achieving annual savings targets from $5 million to $20 million and manage categories with an annual spend in the from $100 million to $700 million for materials and services Highly advanced level of knowledge and responsibility for developing, negotiating, executing and maintaining strategic sourcing agreements for specific categories for the procurement of materials, equipment and/or services used by AEP internal customers. The Procurement Category Manager will identify cost reduction opportunities and capture real Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings (direct or indirect) by aggregating sourcing volumes.

Job Description

What you’ll do:

- Manage project-driven sourcing activities for a variety of market baskets that are normally associated with high-spend, high-impact, and often complex categories across multiple business unit stakeholders.

- Develop and implement strategies to achieve corporate savings goals.

- Establish effective relationships and work collaboratively with Business Unit customers, and suppliers to maintain customer satisfaction.

- Interface with Business Unit leadership to report ongoing progress to goals.

- Champion new initiatives that will support shared business objectives, support the business unit partner's needs, and enable the company to efficiently operate in a competitive and changing environment.

What we’re looking for:

Category Manager SG10

Education:

- Bachelors Degree in Business Administration or related field of study. MBA or Purchasing certification is preferred but not required.

Experience:

- Six (6) years supply chain experience.

- Advanced negotiations and ability to execute complex business transactions.

In addition:

Physical demand level is Sedentary

- Must have strong analytical, teamwork and communication skills. Must have ability to effectively work with all levels of internal management and external suppliers and must be able to prioritize and coordinate activities to successfully perform in this position. Previous experience leading employees/teams preferred.

- Category Knowledge focused on steel structures and towers, wire and conductor, and miscellaneous hardware is a bonus but not required.

- Expert knowledge focused on steel structures and towers, wire and conductor, and miscellaneous hardware is a bonus but not required.

- Expert knowledge of the market forces shaping customer’s business context • Ability to conduct independent market intelligence and leverage personal network.

- Demonstrated experience in identifying and utilizing full set of supply levers to drive category performance, including the development of complex collaboration partnership with suppliers.

- Ability to conduct benchmarking and measure category performance along all dimensions of cost, quality, risk, innovation and operating processes

- Ability to provide thought leadership to customers and actively shape customer’s overall strategy through sourcing lens.

- Expert negotiation skills

- Ability to use automated technology systems to inform category strategies & SRM activities.

- Experience using e-procurement tools (Ariba)

- Ability to quantify financial benefits for identified set of opportunities and initiatives.

- Experience at developing complex cost and financial models.

- Highly proficient with Excel and MS Office Suite.

- Ability to draw strategic insight from analysis, and to effectively summarize and present insight based on the needs of the audience.

- Experienced Change Management & Relationship Management concerns.

- Independent self-starter and able to motivate others to accomplish ambiguous tasks.

- Demonstrated track record of identifying root causes to issues and proactively resolving problems, leveraging cross-functional business partnerships.

- Demonstrated success at facilitating processes for complex issues and partnering cross-functionally, especially with Project Management and Project Engineering organizations.

- Ability to lead teams in a matrixed organization, across geographic and functional reporting lines.

- Ability to own and strengthen relationships with key business partners & executives.

- Compelling and persuasive communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.

Where you’ll work:

This role sits on site in New Albany, Ohio

What you’ll get:

Category Manager SG10($132,562-$172,333)

In addition to a competitive compensation, AEP offers a unique comprehensive benefits package that aims to support and enhance the overall well-being of our employees.

Where Putting the Customer First Powers Everything We Do

At AEP, we’re more than just an energy company — we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you

American Electric Power (On-Site)

$133K- $172K / Year

#LI-Onsite

#AEPCareers

#procurement

Compensation Data

Compensation Grade:

SP20-010

Compensation Range:

$132,562.00-172,331.00 USD

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Hear about it first! Get job alerts by email. Log in to your Candidate Home Account today! If you don't have an account, you can create one.

It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.