Category Specialist - HVDC ST

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.; India; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

HITACHI ENERGY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED in Chennai seeks a Category Specialist to drive global sourcing initiatives for HVDC projects. You will collaborate with category managers and project teams to convert strategies into actionable procurement plans.

The role emphasizes RFQ/RFP leadership, supplier evaluations, and maintaining frame agreements in SAP Ariba while ensuring compliance with corporate policies.

Qualifications

• Experience in supply chain functions, category management, strategic sourcing, and procurement.
• 10–14 years of professional experience.
• HVDC/project environment experience and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Support strategic sourcing activities and drive RFQs and RFPs.
• Collaborate with project teams and stakeholders to meet budget, quality, and lead times.
• Develop and maintain supplier base, conduct supplier evaluations, and share scorecards.
• Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and Hitachi Energy policies; manage frame agreements in SAP Ariba.

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

RFQ/RFP management

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation

Education

BE (Electrical / Electronics / Mechanical) or equivalent

Tools

SAP Ariba

Job description

Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India Job ID: R0145461 Date Posted: 2026-09-23 Company Name: HITACHI ENERGY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED Profession (Job Category): Customer Service & Contact Center Operations Job Schedule: Full time Remote: No

Job Description: The opportunity: HVDC is looking for a Category Specialist to support the global sourcing initiatives, under collaboration with global category manager. Handle activities that require agility to transform category strategies into actions. Work collaboratively with Project team and other internal stakeholders, to ensure optimal business outcomes. Ensure that procurement activities are in accordance with the HVDC Business Strategies and with corporate purchasing policies and procedures. Category Specialists are expected to engage in projects and execute strategies defined during the Tendering phase. You are welcome into a growing team where you have a great opportunity to develop your own role in the company. Everyone has different skills and competencies, and we are interested to learn more about you and with what you can contribute.

How you'll make an impact:

Support strategic sourcing activities, in close alignment with the category manager; drive RFQs, RFPs for BRM and project execution, aiming to meet budget, quality and lead time defined in the strategy. Control appropriate time response from suppliers and meet internal demands and schedules. Run benchmark studies, whenever required for specific sourcing initiatives. Support the implementation and management of a category strategy, delivering savings and efficiencies to the business, ensure that results of negotiations, quotations and proposals are aligned with strategy / project requirements - meet budget targets. Pursue saving targets. Issue proper quotation comparison / equalization map to support purchasing decision. Input information Pro-procure, update costs for project execution, against budget targets, in BRM (Bidding Review Protocol). Support on the development and maintenance of the category supply base, with focus on total cost, quality, lead time and capacity, to meet supply planning towards project deliveries. Care for the relationships with suppliers to ensure HVDC receives best value for money and continuous improvement over the life of contracts in specific categories of spend. Upload and maintain valid standard agreements / frame agreements and contracts in SAP Ariba, monitor expiration dates and inform CMs to engage in contracts updates and amendments. Ensure that our suppliers comply with the laws, regulations, standards, certificates, and directives that Hi-tachi Energy requires from their suppliers, support category related actions on qualification and audits process, as well as re-cover of supplier caused claim values, matching claims with reported OPQs related to Supplier Quality. Run regular supplier evaluations after deliveries, share supplier scorecards and reports to Category Man-agers and SCM leaders; initiate improvement projects when required. Issue the Purchase Request (RFP), Initiate Purchase Order (PO) process to CSS (Shared Service), according to the BRM (Bidding Review Protocol). Support, when needed, collecting Order Acknowledgments from suppliers. Foster collaboration as ONE Hitachi Energy team. Work together with global SCM team of category man-agers, transactional buyers, logistic planners, and supplier quality engineers and to ensure that the goods and material are procured, produced, and delivered on budget, on time and with quality to our project sites worldwide. Key role interacting with stakeholders in project execution, i.e., Engineering, project management and global SCM organization, coordinate, collaborate and support the Business in SCM related topics. Request, seek, escaltate, and communicate in a timely manner, establish clear and transparent communication internally, externally, and between different divisions, business units and functions and supports the implementation of SCM activities and initiatives. You will support Category Managers to develop Supplier base within your Categories, with focus on total cost, quality, lead-time and capacity to support for HVDC Yard Equipments in India and support around the world. You will design and implement supplier strategies in both the short and the long-term using market, cost and risk analyses, ensure that our suppliers comply with the laws, regulations, standards, certificates and directives that Hitachi Energy requires from their suppliers. We adhere towards project timelines so you will also be responsible to secure material procurement. You will support the development and implementation of regional/global sourcing strategies in close alignment with the regional/global Category leader, which involves Localization, Supplier development, Frame Agreement & Commercial Negotiation, PPAP, Dynamic evolution, Coordination with Engineering and Procurement activities according to project plan. You will drive RFQ and negotiation for project in execution to ensure focus on TCO, quality, lead time and capacity, work together with a team of category managers, operational buyers, transport managers, logistic planners, supplier quality engineers, Engineering, and others to drive and ensure that the goods and material are procured, produced, Integrated and delivered on budget, on time and with quality to our project sites across worldwide. You will have a key role interacting with stakeholders in tender and project execution, i.e., Engineering, Quality, R&D, service, Tender management, Project management, Planning, general management levels at HVDC and the global SCM organization, agreements with main suppliers, and periodically renews pricelists, contracts, terms and conditions & runs benchmark studies for the category team and for specific sourcing initiatives & creates local contract amendments to frame agreements on behalf of a country and updates/maintains frame contracts. You will support Global Category Managers for the regional/global sourcing initiatives within a defined set of categories, working closely with key stakeholders to implement regional category strategies. You will support in establishing clear and transparent communication internally, externally, and between different Divisions, Business Units and Functions and support the implementation of PL activities and initiatives in the Region/Country through this clear communication. You will be responsible to ensure compliance with applicable external and internal regulations, procedures, and guidelines. Living Hitachi Energy's core values of safety and integrity, which means taking responsibility for your own actions while caring for your colleagues and the business.

Your background:

You hold a degree in BE (Electrical / Electronics / Mechanical), Supply Chain Management or equivalent experience. You should have 10 to 14 years of experience. Professional experience in a supply chain functions, category management, strategic sourcing, project management or procurement having and expertise in Electrical Commodities and Substation Equipment and Genuinely interested in technical components and systems. Experience in HVDC projects will be an added advantage. Organization is under transformation and growth. We need curious person, with strong sense of ownership to challenge self and the organization for continuous improvement and changes. A team player with strong communicative and collaborative skills who likes to interact with other people, used to a multicultural and challenging global business environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, able to handle several tasks in parallel. Described as energetic, motivated, and self-confident person who can handle both ups and downs and manage problem that may occur. You are used to a multicultural and challenging global business environment and can handle several tasks in parallel. Described as energetic, motivated and self-confident person who can handle both ups and downs and manage problem that may occur. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

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Use of Al and automated tools in recruitment As part of our recruitment process, Hitachi Energy uses digital and automated tools, including Al-supported solutions, to assist with activities such as application screening, job matching, and interview scheduling. These tools are designed to support our recruiters and do not replace human decision-making. Candidate data is processed in accordance with applicable data protection and employment laws as well as Hitachi's Global Data Privacy Notice.

Background Screening and Security Checks As part of the hiring process, Hitachi Energy conducts pre-employment background checks that may include verification of employment history, education, criminal records, and other relevant information, in accordance with applicable laws. For certain roles—particularly those involving access to sensitive information, financial responsibilities, client data, regulated environments, or security-sensitive functions—additional or more comprehensive background or security screenings may be required. These may include, but are not limited to, enhanced criminal history checks, credit history reviews (where legally permissible), sanctions screening, or other due diligence measures aligned with the responsibilities of the position. The scope and depth of any background or security review will be determined based on the nature of the role and business necessity, and will always be conducted in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Candidates will be notified and, where required, asked to provide consent prior to the initiation of any such checks.

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