Job Title: Category Management Specialist

Work Place Flexibility: Hybrid 

Legal Entity: Entergy Services, LLC 

***This is a hybrid role, requiring in office work three days a week with a work location in The Woodlands, TX, Jackson, MS, or New Orleans, LA.

Those outside those areas would be required to relocate, Relocation Assistance is not available for this posting***

**Selected candidate will be placed as either a Category Management Specialist, III or Category Management Specialist, Sr

based on education, experience, and demonstrated success at the Category Managmenet Specialist Level**

JOB DUTIES/SUMMARY

The Category Management Specialist utilizes extensive supply chain, category management, strategic sourcing, and contracting knowledge and experience to implement Supplier Commercial Excellence for an assigned collection of categories. The role is Supply Chain’s (SC) single point of contact and strategic lead for a given category(ies) and supports the placement of Entergy’s ~$4B third party spend into the appropriate supply markets.  The position is responsible for the utilization of the standard Category Management and Strategic Sourcing processes across assigned categories and will operate across multiple cross-functional teams to leverage end-to-end value for an assigned portfolio of spend. The specialist operates autonomously and in an advisory capacity providing oversight, support, guidance, and training in the technical and professional skills areas to other category management specialists. The role is recognized inside SC, and within Entergy, as a subject matter technical adviser on category management, strategic sourcing, contract strategy, methodology, analysis, and contract provisions. The primary objective of the role is to create value through the supply chain in terms of safety, cost, risk mitigation and enhanced supplier performance. In addition, this role will have an emphasis on data analysis to help the team understand insights in trends, metrics and other spend analytics. 

Key interfaces for this position are internal business customers such as a business unit, Tax, Finance, Risk Management, Safety, Human Resources, Legal, external suppliers, and industry organizations. Within SC, common interfaces for this role are Procurement Operations, Capital Projects & Decommissioning and Warehousing and Inventory Management, Safety, and Supplier Diversity.

JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively promote strong safety behaviors and ensure the team always puts safety first.
• Monitor and influence suppliers to proactively identify any safety concerns.
• Perform storm role duties as assigned through the Storm Assignment Management System (SAMS).
• Develop and execute category and subcategory strategies through category management and strategic sourcing framework, checklist, manage spend and regularly track market trends, Ability to work strategically and tactically to deliver positive business results.
• Systematic process to review commercial, process, technical, risk management and sustainability strategies for product categories and subcategories.
• Supplier management strategy in place dependent upon category segmentation, linked with supplier segment, category strategies, and VMOS, with business reviews to ensure supplier performance.
• Supplier portfolio is regularly reviewed based on price/performance and cost structure comparison.
• Recurrent effort to bundle purchasing and to forecast demand across departments/business units.
• Ability influence and work across Cross-functional teams and levels in the organization to optimize supply-chain, redesign-to cost and make-or-buy strategies.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Education Required for the Role 

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Accounting, Engineering, Legal, or other related discipline.

Minimum Education Required for the Role 

• Category Management Specialist, III:
  • 3+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 6+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience.
• Senior Category Management Specialist:
  • 5+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience OR in lieu of a degree, minimum 8+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or other related supply chain experience.
• Minimum 2+ years’ energy industry supply chain experience in category management or strategic sourcing

Minimum Knowledge, and Abilities Required for the Role

Technical

• Analytics – utilizing data to make decisions (spend, market fluctuations, costs, supplier utilization).
• Skillful application of category management processes; including supplier diversity, safety metrics and tools.
• Skillful application of supplier relationship/vendor management principles, practices, and tools.
• Skillful application of Strategic Bids (including RFx development, evaluation, pre-award, and post-award contract management processes; integrate business unit specific knowledge; identify and mitigate contractual, market, and supplier risks to Entergy).
• Highly proficient in the development and implementation of sourcing strategies that are agreed to and supported by stakeholders.
• Highly proficient in creating clear strategies to develop supplier bases.
• Skillful application of negotiation strategies and leading supplier negotiations that support operational excellence through safety, price, quality, service, and innovation.
• Extensive knowledge of business and SC operations within Entergy; including how Entergy buys and pays (HEBAP); experience and knowledge of supply chain systems and processes.
• Proficient influencing skills to promote effective demand planning across business units, functions, and SC (zero-based purchasing, pro-active purchase planning and hedging).

Professional

• Skillful application of project management principles to ensure systematic, thorough completion of each assignment, identifying critical pathways and risks to delivery.
• Skillful application of commercial skills and financial acumen to category management, understanding the key business drivers and impact to Entergy on outcomes.
• Skillful application of data analysis methods/techniques to provide detailed reports and insights; propose conclusions, use data trends and present in meaningful ways. 
• Ability to coach supply chain personnel in category management technical tools and techniques.
• Skillful at internal and external stakeholder communications; operates independently with stakeholders; apply influencing skills to develop best outcomes for Entergy.
• Skillful at building broad relationships and effective networks with all stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the management of change relative to supply chain situations.
• Strong understanding of how to effectively manage the costs of the business.
• Strong communication skills in presenting concise/relevant information to stakeholders.

Leadership

• Skillful application of change management and continuous improvement methods, and the application to daily activities to drive performance improvement.
• Proficiency in coaching/mentoring on category management, commercial analytics, etc., to category teams, other SC personnel and Entergy customers.
• Ability to lead others through ambiguity and support functional leadership of small teams.
• Capability to be a trusted advisor; leader/coach in identifying what is important to the customer base.

Licenses/Certifications Required for the Role

None

Primary Location: Texas-The Woodlands Texas : The Woodlands 
Job Function: Professional
FLSA Status: Professional 
Relocation Option: No Relocation Offered
Union description/code: NON BARGAINING UNIT 
Number of Openings: 1
Req ID: 117131
Travel Percentage:Up to 25%

An Equal Opportunity Employer, Minority/Female/Disability/Vets. Please click here to view the EEI page, or see statements below.

EEO Statement: The Entergy System of Companies provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. The Entergy System of Companies complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. 

The Entergy System of Companies expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of the Entergy System of Company employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

Accessibility: Entergy provides reasonable accommodations for online applicants. Requests for a reasonable accommodation may be made orally or in writing by an applicant, employee, or third party on his or her behalf. If you are an individual with a disability and you are in need of an accommodation for the recruiting process please click here and provide your name, contact number, the accommodation requested and the requisition number that you are requesting the accommodation for. Employee Services will contact you regarding your request.

Additional Responsibilities: As a provider of essential services, Entergy expects its employees to be available to work additional hours, to work in alternate locations, and/or to perform additional duties in connection with storms, outages, emergencies, or other situations as deemed necessary by the company. Exempt employees may not be paid overtime associated with such duties.

Entergy Pay Transparency Policy Statement: The Entergy System of Companies (the Company) will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the Company’s legal duty to furnish information.  41 CFR 60-1.35(c). Equal Opportunity and Pay Transparency.

Pay Transparency Notice:

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (dol.gov)

The non-confidential portions of the affirmative action program for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans shall be available for inspection upon request by any employee or applicant for employment.  Please contact HRCompliance@entergy.com to schedule a time to review the affirmative action plan during regular office hours.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
As a provider of essential services, Entergy expects its employees to be available to work additional hours, to work in alternate locations, and/or to perform additional duties in connection with storms, outages, emergencies, or other situations as deemed necessary by the company. Exempt employees may not be paid overtime associated with such duties.

Please note: Authorization to work in the United States is a precondition to employment in this position. Entergy will not sponsor candidates for work visas for this position.