Category Manager (Labor Services)

Airswift; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift is partnering with a growing chemical manufacturing organization to identify a Category Manager, Labor Services in Houston, TX. This role develops sourcing strategies for labor, contract labor, and maintenance services, while leading supplier negotiations and driving cost optimization in collaboration with Operations and Plant Leadership.

You will manage supplier relationships, analyze spend, and shape procurement processes.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in procurement, sourcing, category management or related roles.
• Direct experience sourcing labor services, contract labor, or turnaround services preferred.
• Experience in chemical, petrochemical, or industrial environments.
• Strong negotiation skills and supplier-management track record.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building abilities.
• Experience with SAP, Tableau or Power BI is preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering or related field.
• Comfortable with AI-enabled tools in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies for labor services, contract labor, and outsourced industrial services.
• Lead supplier negotiations, RFPs, contract development, and commercial agreement management.
• Manage supplier relationships and drive performance across cost, service, safety, and reliability metrics.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Plant Leadership teams to support workforce planning and turnaround activities.
• Conduct spend analysis and evaluate market conditions to identify cost-saving opportunities and mitigate supply risk.
• Support the ongoing development of procurement processes, tools, and best practices.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Relationship building

Category management

Cost optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related

Tools

SAP

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

Airswift is partnering with a growing chemical manufacturing organization backed by private equity to identify a Category Manager, Labor Services to join its Procurement team in Houston, TX.

This position will play a key role in developing and executing sourcing strategies for labor services, contract labor, maintenance services, and turnaround-related spend supporting manufacturing operations. Reporting into Procurement, the successful candidate will manage supplier relationships, lead commercial negotiations, develop category strategies, and partner closely with Operations and Plant Leadership to ensure reliable service delivery and cost optimization.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies for labor services, contract labor, and outsourced industrial services.
• Lead supplier negotiations, RFPs, contract development, and commercial agreement management.
• Manage supplier relationships and drive performance across cost, service, safety, and reliability metrics.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Plant Leadership teams to support workforce planning and turnaround activities.
• Conduct spend analysis and evaluate market conditions to identify cost-saving opportunities and mitigate supply risk.
• Support the ongoing development of procurement processes, tools, and best practices.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, supply chain, commercial, or contractor management roles.
• Direct experience sourcing labor services, contract labor, maintenance services, or turnaround services is strongly preferred.
• Experience within chemical, petrochemical, refining, mining, manufacturing, or other industrial environments.
• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of managing supplier relationships and service agreements.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.
• Experience with SAP, Tableau, Power BI, or similar systems is preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment and leveraging new technologies, including AI-enabled tools.

What Makes This Opportunity Interesting

• Opportunity to own and build a newly established labor services category.
• Join a growing, PE-backed manufacturing company during a transformational stage.
• High visibility role with direct interaction across Procurement, Operations, and Plant Leadership.
• Significant influence on supplier strategy, contractor management, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Hybrid work schedule based in Houston, TX (3 days onsite / 2 days remote).