Category Manager - Staff Procurement Specialist

At PGE, our work involves dreaming about, planning for, and realizing a smarter, cleaner, more enduring Oregon neighborhood. Its core to our DNA and we haven’t stopped since we started in 1888. We energize lives, strengthen communities and drive advancements in energy that promote social, economic and environmental progress. We’re always on the lookout for people passionate about leading and being a part of teams that are advancing innovative clean energy solutions that are also affordable and accessible to all.

Job Overview

As a Category Manager (Procurement Specialist – P3), you will lead strategic procurement initiatives across complex and high‑impact categories. In this role, you will own category strategy development end‑to‑end—conducting market analysis, shaping long‑term sourcing roadmaps, and driving value creation across the enterprise. You will manage sophisticated sourcing events, lead advanced negotiations, develop supplier relationship strategies, and ensure alignment with broader business objectives. You will serve as a strategic advisor to the business, influencing stakeholders, guiding spend decisions, and identifying opportunities for cost optimization, risk mitigation, and innovation. Your work directly advances organizational goals by elevating procurement maturity, strengthening supplier partnerships, and enabling scalable, sustainable category strategies.

Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing & Contract Administration

- Lead development of comprehensive bid packages (RFP/RFQ/RFI), including scope definition, pricing structures, evaluation criteria, and commercial terms for complex sourcing initiatives.

- Drive end-to-end sourcing events, facilitating cross-functional evaluations, analyzing commercial and risk factors, and leading supplier negotiations to achieve optimal total value.

- Draft, negotiate, and finalize contracts across a range of complexity levels, ensuring alignment with sourcing strategy, risk mitigation standards, and business objectives.

- Oversee contract lifecycle management, including renewals, amendments, and terminations, ensuring timely execution, system workflow compliance, and audit readiness.

- Maintain rigorous contract documentation and governance standards to support regulatory and internal controls.

Supplier Relationship & Performance Management

- Serve as strategic point of contact for suppliers, managing commercial relationships and ensuring alignment with performance expectations and contractual obligations.

- Evaluate supplier capabilities, financial stability, and risk exposure as part of sourcing and ongoing performance management.

- Lead performance reviews, address service or delivery gaps, and implement corrective action plans in partnership with Category Managers and business stakeholders.

- Support supplier onboarding and ensure compliance with governance, safety, and operational standards.

Stakeholder Engagement & Business Partnership

- Collaborate with senior business stakeholders to define requirements, assess demand, and translate operational needs into sourcing and contracting strategies.

- Provide expert guidance on procurement methods, market dynamics, and contracting approaches to drive informed decision-making.

- Influence stakeholders through data-driven insights, cost modeling, and risk analysis to support strategic outcomes.

Procurement Strategy & Governance

- Develop and execute sourcing strategies aligned with enterprise objectives, market conditions, and risk tolerance.

- Apply advanced knowledge of procurement methodologies, contract structures, and negotiation strategies to solve complex or recurring business challenges.

- Ensure full compliance with procurement policies while identifying opportunities to enhance processes, improve efficiency, and optimize total cost of ownership.

Education/Experience/Certifications

Education:

Requires a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business, finance or other related field or equivalent experience.

Experience:

Typically five or more years in supply chain, category management/strategic sourcing or related field

. Preferred Experience

- 6 + years in procurement, sourcing, or contract management.

- Experience developing strategies, managing RFx and negotiating contracts for complex categories.

- Strong experience with ERP/Procurement systems and procurement workflows.

Functional Competencies

- Advanced knowledge of inventory control practices and systems (depending on area of specialization)

- Advanced knowledge of contracting and procurement methods, standards, procedures and processes

- Intermediate knowledge of business practices and market conditions applicable to program and technical requirements sufficient to evaluate bids, contractor responsibility and contractor performance

- Intermediate skills in formulating sourcing strategies that accomplish performance and savings goals, anticipate potential threats or opportunities and are consistent with company goals and policies

- Intermediate skills in negotiating contracts for goods and services

- Intermediate computer skills using Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and enterprise resource-planning systems and record systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, SharePoint, eRecords)

Preferred Certifications:

CPSM, CIPS, or similar procurement credentials.

General Competencies

- Proficiency Level: Intermediate

- Analytical skills

- Decision-making skills

- Influence skills

- Interpersonal skills

- Negotiation skills

- Organization and prioritization skills

- Presentation and facilitation skills

- Written and oral communication skills

Physical, Schedule/Attendance, and Cognitive Demands

Cognitive Level Substantial:

Consistent use of logic or scientific thinking to define problems, collect information, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.

Cognitive Demands

- Ability to adhere to set response times, deadlines and time-sensitive tasks

- Ability to follow accuracy standards

- Ability to follow through on decision-making tasks

- Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress

- Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change

- Ability to accept and demonstrate self-awareness when provided constructive feedback Ability to discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement

- Ability to avoid future mistakes by applying reasonable skills to new but similar work situations or tasks

- Ability to successfully collaborate with peers, managers and others within the organization Demonstrates sound memory

- Ability to process new information to be applied consistently to work tasks

Schedule/Attendance

- Ability to work long hours

Physical Capabilities

- Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)

Environment - Indoor/Outdoor

- Office

- Field

Actual total compensation, including a performance based incentive bonus, is commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, education, training, and internal equity.

PGE believes in rewarding dedicated performance. We provide a total rewards package that is designed to reward your contributions to the company, and, at the same time, support your well-being and professional development, both now and into the future. To find out more, click here.