Staff Procurement Specialist – Category Manager

Staff Procurement Specialist – Category Manager

Location: Portland, OR

Onsite Flexibility: Hybrid — 3 days per week on-site; open to remote candidates located in PST or MST time zones

Contract Details

• Position Type: Contract
• Contract Duration: 6 months
• Pay Rate: $50.00–$70.00 / Hour (USD)
• Shift / Schedule: 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday – Friday
• Work Authorization: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Job Summary

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.

Key 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.

Required Skills

• Excellent organizational work management skills
• Verbal and written communication skills
• Supply chain procurement and contracting experience
• 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 Skills

• Utility experience
• Familiarity with the Oracle software system
• Project management experience
• Strong experience with ERP/Procurement systems and procurement workflows

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, business, finance, or other related field (required)
• CPSM, CIPS, or similar procurement credentials (preferred)

Required Experience

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

Nice-to-Have Experience

• 6 years in procurement, sourcing, or contract management
• Experience developing strategies, managing RFx, and negotiating contracts for complex categories

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance Plans
• 401k Retirement Fund

About the Client

This client is a leading natural gas and electric energy company serving millions of customers across the United States. Operating as a major regulated utility, the organization employs thousands of professionals — including procurement specialists, supply chain analysts, contract managers, engineers, and operations personnel — across its service territory. The company ranks among the significant utility providers in its region and is committed to delivering safe, reliable, and affordable energy through strategic infrastructure investment and supplier partnerships.

About GTT

GTT is a minority-owned staffing firm and a subsidiary of Chenega Corporation, a Native American-owned company in Alaska. We highly value diverse and inclusive workplaces and support Fortune 500 organizations across banking, financial services, technology, life sciences, biotech, utilities, and retail sectors throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Job Number: 26-15458 Industry: Operations & Management