Substation Category Leader

Substation Category Leader

Hybrid role in Oakland (preferred) or San Ramon, CA

Permanent

As a Substation Category Lead, you will play a critical role in optimizing the sourcing and procurement strategy for one of the nation s largest gas and electric utilities, ensuring cost efficiency, supplier performance, and risk mitigation. You will lead strategic category planning, supplier negotiations, and contract management to drive value, resilience, and sustainability across the supply chain. Partnering with and influencing key internal stakeholders and leveraging market intelligence, you will develop and execute category strategies that align with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. This high-impact role requires a balance of analytical expertise, relationship management, and strategic vision to enhance operational excellence and support the commitment to safe, reliable, and sustainable energy.

This role manages procurement strategy and sourcing for the Substation category , which includes equipment, materials, and services supporting transmission and distribution substations.

Job Responsibilities

• Acts as subject matter expert for particular categories or services in the industry.
• This role manages procurement strategy and sourcing for the Substation category , which includes equipment, materials, and services supporting transmission and distribution substations. The Category Leader will oversee spend related to transformers, switchgear, relays, protection and control systems, buswork, and substation construction services, ensuring cost-effective, timely, and compliant sourcing to support capital and maintenance projects.
• Develops and implements category plans and sourcing strategies for high complexity categories that optimize cost, mitigate risk, and ensure supply continuity.
• Leads competitive bidding processes including RFPs, RFIs, and negotiations to secure best-value agreements.
• Negotiates, drafts, and manages contracts to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, corporate policies, and industry standards.
• Develops and sustains mutually beneficial strategic relationships with category and cross-portfolio suppliers, conducting regular performance reviews, fostering collaboration on innovation and continuous improvement, and ensuring alignment with the company s safety, reliability, and sustainability goals.
• Partners with and influences cross-functional stakeholders and teams in developing sourcing and negotiation strategies for high complexity spend categories
• Maintains awareness of industry and market trends, supplier landscapes, and regulatory changes to drive informed decision-making and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Conducts and documents market research and supplier risk analysis to verify the financial health of existing and potential suppliers .
• Works with senior management to support strategic planning and decision-making at the officer level.

Qualifications