Senior Category Manager

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

The Senior Category Manager (P4) plays a key strategic role in shaping and executing category strategies for critical, high-impact areas of spend across the enterprise. Partnering with business leaders, this role develops sourcing strategies that advance company goals while balancing risk, regulatory, and operational priorities. You will shape long-term sourcing roadmaps, influence business and capital planning decisions, and lead the most complex negotiations-ensuring supply continuity, cost optimization, risk mitigation, and alignment with enterprise objectives. Categories may include, but are not limited to, generation construction, and engineering services. The Senior Category Manager leads end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives-building or enhancing playbooks, managing competitive RFPs, structuring complex contracts, and negotiating high-value agreements for business-critical categories.

This role requires deep expertise in procurement best practices, category management, supplier governance, and commercial negotiations. By leveraging spend data, market intelligence, and industry insights, the Senior Category Manager crafts data-driven strategies and influences executive decision-making. Regular interaction with senior leaders and executives calls for strong communication skills and the ability to deliver clear, compelling business recommendations that align stakeholders and drive results.

The ideal candidate brings leadership presence, sound judgment, and strong business acumen. With a talent for leading cross-functional initiatives, the Senior Category Manager delivers enterprise value, strengthens supplier partnerships, and amplifies procurement's strategic impact across the organization.

Level/Grade: P4 - 8/EX

Key Responsibilities

Sourcing Opportunities & Purchasing Strategy

• Identify and lead sourcing initiatives through analysis of historical spend data to uncover efficiency and savings opportunities.
• Establish baseline spend and savings targets to measure and communicate sourcing impact.
• Execute sourcing initiatives using a proven strategic sourcing framework to ensure consistency, transparency, and results.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve strategic category plans for complex, high-value spend areas.
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders and leverage industry expertise to drive process improvements, cost optimization, and a more sustainable, efficient source-to-pay process.

Inventory Control & Procurement Management

• Oversee inventory procurement to ensure timely availability of materials and supplies that support operational needs.
• Anticipate stakeholder requirements and proactively plan purchasing activities to maintain optimal stock levels.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex or unusual inventory and supply chain challenges to ensure business continuity.
• Implement and maintain effective tracking systems and distribution processes to strengthen visibility, accuracy, and control across all inventory activities.

Purchasing Activities

• Drive the procurement process for complex and high-value spend categories in alignment with company procurement guidelines.
• Anticipate and confirm business needs, developing detailed requests for proposals, information, and qualifications from suppliers.
• Determine the most effective procurement approach to deliver value, efficiency, and alignment with business objectives.
• Negotiate pricing and terms to achieve best-value outcomes that support cost and performance goals.
• Ensure full compliance with legal requirements and regulatory deadlines.
• Keep key stakeholders informed and engaged throughout each strategic sourcing activity within the assigned category.

Identification of Procurement Needs & Collaboration

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the organization.
• Develop and apply deep subject matter expertise within assigned spend categories to guide strategic decision-making.
• Communicate and champion complex strategic sourcing initiatives, gaining support and alignment from key stakeholders.
• Identify procurement needs, create project timelines, and prepare clear, competitive bids and proposals.
• Ensure the timely delivery of goods and services to meet business and operational requirements.

Solicitation Process Administration

• Solicitation Process Administration
• Manage the full contracting process with strategic providers of goods and services from start to finish.
• Develop clear requirements, conduct supplier outreach, and evaluate proposals to ensure strong competition and best-fit solutions.
• Lead supplier selection and negotiation processes to secure optimal terms and long-term value.
• Stay current on industry developments, market trends, and emerging opportunities to inform sourcing strategies.

Contract Management

• Execute contracts with key suppliers, ensuring all required terms and conditions are accurately captured.
• Track and manage contract lifecycles, including renewals and termination dates, to maintain continuity and compliance.
• Oversee key supplier relationships, fostering collaboration and accountability.
• Monitor and measure supplier performance against contract commitments, service level agreements (SLAs), and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Education/Experience

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

Experience: Typically eight or more years in supply chain, category management/strategic sourcing or related field. CPSM, CIPS, or similar procurement certifications.

Preferred Experience

• 8 + years in procurement, sourcing, or contract management.

Functional Competencies

• Advanced knowledge of inventory control practices and systems
• Advanced knowledge of contracting and procurement methods, standards, procedures and processes (preferably 8+ years)
• Advanced knowledge of business practices and market conditions applicable to program and technical requirements sufficient to evaluate bids, contractor responsibility and contractor performance
• Advanced skills in formulating sourcing strategies that accomplish performance and savings goals, anticipate potential threats or opportunities and are consistent with company goals and policies
• Advanced skills in negotiating contracts for goods and services
• Advanced computer skills using Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and enterprise resource-planning systems and record systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, SharePoint, eRecords)

General Competencies

• Advanced analytical skills
• Advanced decision-making skills
• Advanced influence skills
• Advanced interpersonal skills
• Advanced negotiation skills
• Advanced organization and prioritization skills
• Advanced presentation and facilitation skills
• Advanced written and oral communication skills

Cognitive Demands, Schedule/Attendance, and Physical

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
• Hybrid: In-office 3x/week (World Trade Center), remote 2x/week

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.

Join us today and power your potential!

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PGE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel connected, valued, and empowered to thrive. PGE will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

PGE does not discriminate on the basis of disability. We recognize individuals have a variety of abilities to offer and we believe there is much to value and celebrate by incorporating different abilities into the work we do. One very important way we live this out is in our application and interview process. We work hard to support individuals who may need an accommodation to fully participate in these processes. If you feel you may need an accommodation, or would like to request one, please notify the Recruiter associated with the job posting. You may also make this request by contacting talentacquisition@pgn.comor by calling 503-464-7250. The Recruiter will provide information and next steps for the accommodation process.

To be considered for this position, please complete the following employment application by the posting close date. Posting closes at midnight (Pacific Time) on the closing date below. If no date is listed, job is open until filled.