Senior Category Manager at Southern Company in Atlanta, GA

This position operates within the Supply Chain Management organization, primarily supporting Southern Company Gas' Pipeline Infrastructure Construction Services Category to optimize the value delivered through a category management framework. The role involves collaboration with senior internal stakeholders, supply chain teams, and suppliers to employ continuous improvement techniques aimed at enhancing internal Business Unit and supply chain outcomes. The role is responsible for ensuring that Supply Chain Management is regarded as a significant, value-adding partner to the business by providing solutions to business and operational supply chain challenges, improving processes to reduce total costs of ownership, and maintaining a strategic approach to procurement and supply management.

This position follows a hybrid work schedule. Employees are required to be in the office four (4) days per week.

The selected candidate could work out of the following locations: Georgia or Illinois

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Technology, Finance, or other relevant technical discipline preferred
Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) or Certified Professional in Supply Chain Management (CPSM) is a plus

Experience:

3+ years of gas or related industry experience
Familiar with Southern Company Gas’s engineering or construction processes, highly preferred
Education or experience in contracts or a solid understanding of supply chain management
Project management experience a plus
Engineering or Construction Management Degree preferred
Demonstrated leadership with strategic partnerships preferred

Knowledge & Skills:

Knowledge of supply chain markets and purchasing principles
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
Proven negotiation skills
Excellent project management
Proficiency in major MS Office applications
Financial acumen and demonstrated aptitude in analytics
Professional written and verbal communication skills

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develops and executes category plans to improve efficiency, reduce costs, manage risk, enhance safety, drive innovation, and ensure continuous category development.
Supervises all activities for assigned categories, including construction operations.
Manages $100M-$300M annually in spend.
Leads negotiations and oversees strategic procurement stages.
Facilitates supplier performance measurement and collaborates with key suppliers for improvements.
Identifies alliance opportunities and supports internal supplier management efforts.
Performs analysis to develop category plans, meets with customers, predicts supplier stress, manages pricing, forecasts spend, builds cost models, calculates TCO, and creates supplier value.
Develops tools to track supplier performance and communicates metrics to stakeholders.
Interfaces with Supply Chain Management and Business Unit clients at all levels, including senior management.
Leads cross-functional teams involving various departments. Implements development plans for underperforming suppliers and resolves conflicts.
Contributes to the One SCM Category Management team by supporting team members, sharing knowledge, and addressing experience gaps.

BEHAVIORAL ATTRIBUTES

Demonstrate Southern Company values—Safety First, Superior Performance, Act with Integrity, and Intentional Inclusion.
Maintain a strong personal safety record with a focus on safety.
Commit to an accident-free work environment while adhering strictly to all safety and compliance requirements.
Lead by example, ensuring equity and fairness in interactions with others.
Conduct oneself in a manner that builds trust and confidence among coworkers, contractors, supervisors, and management.
Work effectively within a team setting, including the ability to build and motivate a team toward a shared goal.
Exhibit initiative and creativity with a strong customer service focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The position requires travel to various locations for meetings. This may involve air travel and overnight stays away from home for one or more nights. Travel requirements range from 5% to 20%.
The role is based in an office environment, and the incumbent is expected to be on-site four days per week.