Category Manager II/III/Senior

Williams Companies, Inc.; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive

Medical, dental, and vision

401(k) with match

Paid time off

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Life insurance

Stock purchase plan

Domestic partner benefits

Volunteer time

Job summary

Williams Companies in Houston seeks a Category Manager Senior to lead strategic sourcing across Construction, Engineering, Lease Compression, and Field Services. You will collaborate with partners, develop supplier strategies, and manage cross-functional qualification programs to optimize costs and resources.

You will drive spend analysis, KPI development, and contract negotiations while mentoring teams to deliver measurable results with integrity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• Minimum 3–7 years in a diversified supply chain environment.
• ISM or APICS certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Interprets business challenges and recommends strategies to improve category or services.
• Collaborates with partners to develop supplier and category strategies.
• Leads cross-functional supplier qualification and management processes.
• Builds KPIs for supplier performance reviews.
• Identifies strategic supplier partnerships to optimize costs and resources.
• Develops category and subcategory structures.
• Negotiates and implements contract terms and conditions.
• Conducts spend analysis and risk mitigation processes.

Skills

Cross-functional collab

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Spend analysis

Category management

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Business, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering

ISM or APICS certification preferred

Tools

MS Office

ERP systems

Job description

At Williams, we’re powering a cleaner, more connected future, and that starts with you. Here, your work fuels communities, drives innovation, and helps deliver reliable energy the world depends on. Join a Fortune 500 team that invests in your growth, values your contributions, and challenges you to make a lasting impact every day.

Do something that means something at Williams. This isn’t just a job - it’s an opportunity to explore and discover your passion with coworkers who become friends and mentors who push you to be your best self in and out of the office. At Williams, we make clean energy happen. And you can too, so bring your energy to ours!

As a Category Manager II/III or Senior, you will drive value by proactively leading strategic sourcing and category initiatives that support business objectives. You bring ownership, confidence, and a solutions‑oriented mindset to your work, approaching opportunities with urgency and purpose.

You will collaborate cross‑functionally to align priorities, inform decisions, and advance initiatives. In this role, you will use strong analytical insight and creative thinking, identify opportunities, challenge the status quo when appropriate, and translate ideas into actionable strategies. You will advocate effectively for value‑creating solutions, balancing bold action with disciplined execution to deliver measurable results with integrity and accountability.

Category Manager opportunities support the following areas:

• Construction
• Engineering
• Lease Compression
• Field Services & Operations Support
• Underground Storage & Offshore

Your work will challenge you, and with our Core Values to guide you, you’ll quickly learn and grow with us.

Responsibilities/Expectations:

• Interprets business challenges and recommends standard methodologies/strategies to improve category, processes or services
• Collaborates with business partners to develop comprehensive supplier and category strategies
• Develops and leads cross-functional supplier qualification and management processes
• Builds Key Performance Indicators for supplier performance reviews
• Identifies and establishes strategic supplier partnerships to handle costs and optimize resources
• Develops and maintains category and subcategory structures
• Negotiates and implements contract terms and conditions
• Conducts spend analysis and develops measurable supplier management and risk mitigation processes
• Other duties as assigned

Education/Years of Experience:

Category Manager Senior:

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Business, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering or technology field; minimum of seven (7) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment
• Preferred: Certification from Institute of Supplier Management (ISM) or American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS); minimum of nine (9) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment

Category Manager III:

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Business, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering or technology field; minimum of five (5) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment
• Preferred: Certification from Institute of Supplier Management (ISM) or American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS); minimum of seven (7) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment

Category Manager II:

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Business, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering or technology field; minimum of three (3) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment
• Preferred: Certification from Institute of Supplier Management (ISM) or American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS); minimum of five (5) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment

Other Requirements:

• Demonstrates excellent organizational/interpersonal skills and safety as the utmost priority
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Application and PC skills
• Experience working in a cross-functional environment
• Demonstrates a strong, working knowledge of market intelligence to inform sourcing and category strategies
• Demonstrates conceptual and practical expertise in category and supplier management
• Demonstrates materials planning experience

#LI-KK1

Why Houston?

Big career opportunities in one of the world’s energy capitals, endless food spots and a diverse vibe—all without paying NYC or LA prices. Work hard, live better. Check out Houston.org to learn more.

We invest in our people in ways that actually show up in your day-to-day, not just on paper. Our Total Rewards are built to support how you work, live, and plan for what’s next.

Here’s a look at what that means:

• Strong pay plus an annual incentive program
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage with options that fit your life, not the other way around
• 401(k) with company match and an annual company contribution
• Paid time off, including company and floating holidays
• Paid parental leave (up to six weeks per parent), plus fertility and adoption support
• Advanced AI tools and resources to help level up and work smarter
• Clear paths to grow your career, with a strong culture of promoting from within
• Tuition reimbursement and support for continuing education
• HSA and FSA options
• Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Domestic partner benefits
• Employee resource groups, wellness support, paid volunteer time, and company matching for causes you care about

Eligibility and benefits are governed by the terms of the applicable plan or program document which can be amended or terminated at any time.

For more information, please visit Total Rewards | Williams Companies.

Williams is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected under applicable discrimination law.

Education Requirements:

Bachelors (Required)

Skill Requirements: