Category Leader, Principal (AWS)

Global Technical Talent, an Inc. 5000 Company; San Luis Obispo (CA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 172,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance

401k Retirement Fund

Job summary

Global Technical Talent is seeking a Category Leader, Principal (AWS) in San Luis Obispo, CA. This contract role combines strategy with negotiation to optimize costs, service levels, and supplier performance across Tier 1 contracts.

The position requires procurement expertise, strong stakeholder influence, and the ability to drive value through category plans while coordinating with LOB partners. Hybrid onsite work supports a demanding energy/utility client base.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (required).
• Master's degree in Business Administration or related discipline (desired).
• ISM CPSM certification (desired).
• Lean Six Sigma certification (desired).
• 10+ years experience in procurement or related field.

Responsibilities

• Develops and manages sourcing spend categories and Tier 1 contracts.
• Influences senior leadership on category strategies and cost optimization.
• Cultivates supplier relationships and conducts performance reviews.
• Leads cross-functional teams through strategic sourcing and negotiation.
• Maintains category plans and monitors market trends.

Skills

Market research

Supplier risk analysis

Contract management

Negotiation

Category management

MS Office

Vendor relationships

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (desired)

CPSM (desired)

Lean Six Sigma (desired)

Tools

SAP

Job description

• 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.

Category Leader, Principal (AWS)

Location: San Luis Obispo, CA

Onsite Flexibility: Hybrid

Contract Details

• Position Type: Contract
• Contract Duration: 6 months
• Pay Rate: $120.00–$125.00 / Hour (USD)
• Shift / Schedule: Alternating 4/10 Alternate Work Schedule (4 days per week, 10 hours per day)
• 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

The Category Leader, Principal is responsible for developing and managing one or more sourcing spend categories and managing all Tier 1 contracts associated with those categories. This role develops strategic category plans to optimize cost savings, service excellence, diversity spend, and total cost of ownership for the categories. The position effectively influences stakeholders, including senior leadership, to achieve understanding, acceptance, and commitment of sourcing strategies, and works with the Line of Business (LOB) to develop, source, and negotiate major contracts. The Category Leader also plays a key role in the Supplier Relationship Management / Scorecard process.

Key Responsibilities

• Conducts and documents market research and supplier risk analysis to verify the financial health of existing and potential suppliers
• Creates and maintains category plans
• Develops and reviews performance data with suppliers; works with suppliers to drive ongoing value discovery
• Develops and sustains mutually beneficial strategic relationships with tier 1 and 2 suppliers
• Leads cross-functional team through strategic sourcing process and development/execution of negotiation strategies for mid-complexity spend categories
• Leads the development of category strategies of medium complexity
• Maintains awareness of industry and market trends through ongoing research
• Serves as subject matter expert for particular commodities or services

Required Skills

• Ability to analyze and combine information from different sources and use logic to reach appropriate conclusions as needed to perform at the job level
• Ability to apply contract processes and procedures and relevant contracts and licensing — for example ESC, IBEW, tort, contract law — as needed to perform at the job level
• Ability to work independently with limited oversight
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Products — for example Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access — as needed to perform at the job level
• Competency in relating openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people
• Competency in building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
• Competency in building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals
• Knowledge of the technical/functional aspects of the trade, occupation, or role as needed to perform at the job level
• Ability to apply project management theories, concepts, methods, best practices, and techniques as needed to perform at the job level
• Knowledge of database and information systems — SAP

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (required)
• Master's degree in Business Administration or job-related discipline or equivalent experience (desired)
• ISM — Institute for Supply Management CPSM — Certified Professional in Supply Management certification (desired)
• LSS — Lean Six Sigma Certification (desired)

Required Experience

• Experience in procurement, or related field — 10 years
• Experience in Nuclear industry (top priority)
• Contracting experience (top priority)
• Negotiating experience and category management experience (top priority)

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Experience in contract management
• Experience in strategic sourcing — 10 years
• Experience in supply chain, or related field — 10 years

Work Environment / Physical Requirements

• Assignment is hybrid; candidates must be within the service territory and required to go on-site at DCPP (Avila Beach) weekly
• Alternating 4/10 Alternate Work Schedule — candidates must agree to this schedule prior to start date and sign an acknowledgment of the 4/10 AWS
• If an AWS vote for the identified work unit has not already been conducted, it must be completed prior to the candidate's start date
• Background check and drug screening will be conducted by the client; candidate will be badged at the SLO work site
• Laptop will be provided
• PPE will be provided

Benefits

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

About the Client

This client is a leading utility and energy organization — one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy utilities in the United States — delivering energy to approximately 16 million people across a 70,000-square-mile service area spanning northern and central California. With roughly 25,000 employees, the organization operates some of the most complex energy infrastructure in the country, including transmission lines, pipelines, substations, and generation facilities. As the energy sector undergoes rapid transformation, this organization sits at the intersection of traditional infrastructure and emerging clean energy solutions, creating genuine growth opportunities for engineers, technologists, tradespeople, supply chain professionals, and business analysts across its expansive California footprint.

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: 26-13373