Category Manager

Mazama Energy, LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Mazama Energy, LLC is seeking an experienced Category Manager – Drilling & Completions to lead strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, and commercial strategy across drilling, completions, and related field operations based in Houston.

The ideal candidate will bring significant experience in geothermal energy or upstream oil and gas, with a deep understanding of field operations, pricing structures, and supplier performance.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement or related field.
• Experience within geothermal energy or upstream oil and gas.
• Proven track record leading complex RFPs and negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies for drilling, completions, and related services.
• Lead strategic sourcing, RFPs, and commercial negotiations with suppliers.
• Partner with Drilling, Completions, Operations and Project teams on demand forecasts.
• Develop cost models, supplier scorecards, and vendor performance reviews.
• Ensure procurement aligns with safety, reliability and schedule goals.
• Maintain master service agreements and project-specific terms with Legal.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Commercial negotiations

Stakeholder management

Negotiation capability

Industry knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field

Job description

Mazama Energy is seeking an experienced Category Manager – Drilling & Completions to lead strategic sourcing, category management, supplier negotiations, and commercial strategy across drilling, completions, and related field operations.

This position will serve as the primary Procurement partner to Mazama’s Drilling, Completions, and Operations teams and will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that support safe, reliable, cost-effective, and schedule-driven geothermal development.

The ideal candidate will bring significant experience within geothermal energy, or a upstream energy environment, with direct exposure to drilling, completions and operations. The individual must understand how field operations execute, the commercial models used by oilfield service providers, and the operational consequences of supplier performance, pricing structures, equipment availability, standby costs, and contractual terms.

This is a strategic commercial role requiring strong industry knowledge, negotiation capability, supplier-market awareness, and the ability to work directly with technical and operational stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Management

• Develop and execute comprehensive category strategies for drilling, completions, well construction, and related operational services.
• Partner with Drilling, Completions, Operations and Project teams to understand upcoming activity, demand forecasts, operational requirements, and sourcing priorities.
• Develop short- and long-term sourcing plans aligned with Mazama’s drilling and development schedule.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate spend, leverage volume, standardize commercial structures, and establish preferred supplier relationships.
• Maintain strong awareness of market conditions, supplier capacity, industry pricing trends, equipment availability, and emerging supply-chain risks.
• Develop and maintain category plans, sourcing calendars, supplier strategies, and market intelligence.

Strategic Sourcing & RFP Management

• Lead complex RFP, RFQ, and competitive sourcing processes for drilling and completions categories.
• Partner with technical stakeholders to develop scopes of work, bid packages, commercial requirements, and evaluation criteria.
• Develop qualified bidder lists based on technical capability, operational performance, safety, capacity, commercial competitiveness, and supplier risk.
• Ensure sourcing decisions consider total cost, operational performance, supplier capacity, risk, and long-term value

Commercial Negotiations

• Lead negotiations with drilling contractors, completion service providers, equipment suppliers, and other upstream service companies.
• Develop rate sheets, pricing agreements, preferred supplier agreements, and longer-term commercial structures where appropriate.
• Partner with Legal on contract negotiations, commercial terms, and supplier risk.
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with critical suppliers.
• Lead supplier business reviews and commercial performance discussions.
• Develop supplier scorecards covering safety, operational performance, service quality, commercial performance, responsiveness, and cost.
• Resolve commercial disputes, pricing discrepancies, claims, and supplier-performance issues.

Operational & Field Partnership

• Develop strong working relationships with Drilling, Completions, and Operations personnel.
• Understand field execution requirements and ensure Procurement processes support rather than impede operations.
• Participate in planning discussions for upcoming wells and campaigns.
• Support urgent operational requirements while maintaining appropriate commercial controls.
• Understand the operational impact of supplier delays, equipment failures, standby time, mobilization issues, and service interruptions.
• Support post-job commercial reviews and lessons learned.

Cost Management & Value Creation

• Identify and deliver measurable savings and cost-avoidance opportunities.
• Develop cost models and benchmarking for major categories.
• Analyze supplier pricing and identify cost drivers.
• Identify opportunities to reduce standby costs, mobilization charges, non-productive time exposure, and unnecessary service duplication.
• Track negotiated value, savings, cost avoidance, and supplier-performance improvements.

Contracting & Procurement Governance

• Ensure sourcing activities comply with Mazama’s procurement policies, approval requirements, and commercial standards.
• Work with Legal to establish appropriate Master Service Agreements, commercial agreements, rate sheets, and project-specific terms.
• Ensure scopes, pricing, commercial assumptions, responsibilities, and deliverables are clearly documented before award.
• Support purchase-order and contract development following supplier selection.
• Maintain sourcing documentation and commercial records appropriate for audit and management review.

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supply chain, category management, contracts, or commercial management.
• Demonstrated experience within geothermal energy, or upstream oil and gas.
• Proven experience leading complex RFPs and commercial negotiations.
• Strong knowledge of oilfield service pricing structures, rate sheets, service agreements, and commercial terms.
• Experience working directly with Drilling, Completions, Engineering, Operations, and Legal teams.
• Strong understanding of supplier markets, capacity constraints, operational risk, and cost drivers.
• Advanced commercial, analytical, and negotiation skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence technical and operational stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field.
• Experience negotiating integrated-service or bundled-service agreements.
• Experience developing supplier scorecards, category strategies, and executive-level sourcing recommendations.

Travel

This position is based in Houston, Texas and will require periodic travel to corporate office in Frisco, TX, project locations, supplier facilities, and other business locations as required.