Category Sourcing Manager - Construction Services / EPC / Utilities

Quality Technology Services; Overland Park (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Quality Technology Services (QTS) seeks a Category Sourcing Manager to lead major capital project sourcing across Pre-development, Construction, EPC, Utilities, and Commissioning. You will build supplier profiles, develop strategic sourcing plans, and drive spend optimization while negotiating complex contracts.

You will partner with internal stakeholders to deliver value, manage RFI/RFP processes, and advance total cost of ownership initiatives across diverse project scopes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in procurement, supply-chain or related fields.
• 7+ years in sourcing, procurement or contracting for major capital projects.
• Experience negotiating and managing EPC/Construction contracts.
• Ability to build stakeholder relationships for category requirements.
• Experience leading change initiatives and reducing costs.
• Leadership across capital project categories (Pre-development, Construction, EPC, Commissioning).

Responsibilities

• Lead category management activities to achieve objectives and targets.
• Develop supplier profiles and sourcing strategies for EPC, Utilities, and Commissioning.
• Identify and leverage company-wide spend opportunities.
• Coordinate purchasing across the capital project lifecycle from Pre-development through Closeout.
• Lead supplier selection including RFI/RFP, bid analysis, and criteria.
• Develop sourcing strategies for high-spend, complex categories.
• Provide guidance on Total Cost of Ownership models for sourcing decisions.
• Develop implementation plans and timelines with cross-functional teams.
• Lead category implementation for high-impact areas.
• Monitor supplier agreement compliance for high spend areas.
• Develop long-range sourcing plans to reduce total costs and maximize supplier value.
• Conduct spend analysis and develop metrics to track progress.
• Negotiate and implement contractual arrangements per policy.
• Identify system solutions and best practices for indirect sourcing.
• Build relationships with stakeholders to gather requirements from departments and SMEs.
• Ensure tactical execution of purchases to meet business needs.
• Drive value through innovation with strategic suppliers and internal customers.

Skills

Spend analysis

Negotiation

Sourcing strategies

Stakeholder management

Contract management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply-Chain, or Engineering or related field or equivalent professional experience

Seven or more years of relevant sourcing, procurement, supply-chain, or contracting experience supporting major capital projects in Oil & Gas, Renewables, Infrastructure, or an equivalent industry

Experience developing, negotiating, executing, and managing contracts for Pre-development, Construction, EPC, and Commissioning scopes on major capital projects

MBA or Master's degree in Supply Chain

Job description

Who we are: As a global leader in digital infrastructure, QTS designs, builds and operates advanced data centers that support strategic AI, cloud and digital transformation initiatives. We are driven by a mission to connect the world for good and our people make it possible. Every single day, the creativity, dedication and genuine care for our communities are what push us forward and make this a truly special place to be.

The Category Sourcing Manager ("CSM") is responsible for developing, executing, and managing corporate sourcing initiatives across the major capital project lifecycle, with category scope tailored to Pre-development, Construction, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), Utilities, and Commissioning. The CSM will perform complex data analysis to identify sourcing and other cost optimization opportunities and generate savings within these categories. Specific spend areas may include development services, engineering and design, site preparation, civil works, electrical and mechanical systems, major equipment, construction services, EPC agreements, testing, start-up, commissioning, and project closeout. The CSM is responsible for negotiating complex and competitive programs and communicating to lines of business and Senior Management the value propositions associated with category proposals. The CSM will work collaboratively with internal user departments to facilitate, optimize, and execute purchasing and corporate governance for these spend categories across the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES, other duties as assigned.

• Lead ongoing category management activities within assigned scope of spend categories to achieve business objectives and benefit targets
• Drive development of supplier and industry profiles and sourcing strategies for Pre-development, Construction, EPC, Utilities, and Commissioning categories to establish a best-in-class supply chain for major capital projects
• Identify and leverage company-wide spend opportunities
• Coordinate purchasing and contracting activities across the capital project lifecycle, from Pre-development through Closeout
• Lead supplier selection & recommendation activities including qualitative/quantitative analysis, selection criteria, long/short lists, RFI/RFP development, and bid analysis
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for highest spend, greatest complexity, and most critical/strategic categories
• Provide strategic guidance to profiles and Total Cost of Ownership models used to support sourcing decisions
• Develop implementation strategy, responsibility assignments, communications plans, and timeline
• Lead implementation activities for categories with critical impacts to business and internal customers
• Monitor compliance with supplier agreements related to high spend scope area
• Develop long range sourcing plans for assigned categories to reduce total costs, optimize value from suppliers, and meet internal customer requirements
• Conduct thorough spend analysis, develop methodology and metrics tools to track progress
• Negotiate, review, and execute implementation of contractual arrangements per company policy and business objectives
• Identify and implement system solutions and best practices that optimizes indirect sourcing and procurement work practices
• Builds relationships with key stakeholders to gather category requirements and specifications from departments and category subject matter experts
• Ensure tactical execution of purchasing activities to meet routine business needs
• Drive value through innovation and collaboration with strategic suppliers and internal customers

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply-Chain, or Engineering or related field or equivalent professional experience
• Seven or more years of relevant sourcing, procurement, supply-chain, or contracting experience supporting major capital projects in Oil & Gas, Renewables, Infrastructure, or an equivalent industry
• Experience developing, negotiating, executing, and managing contracts for Pre-development, Construction, EPC, and Commissioning scopes on major capital projects
• Skilled in building relationships with key stakeholders to gather category requirements, specifications from departments, and category subject matter experts
• Experience in managing and leading change initiatives involving significant impacts to organization
• Experience developing long range sourcing plans for assigned categories to reduce total costs, optimize value from suppliers, and meet internal customer requirements
• Demonstrated enterprise procurement leadership across one or more major capital project categories, including Pre-development, Construction, EPC, or Commissioning, with experience in Oil & Gas, Renewables, Infrastructure, or an equivalent contracting environment

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA or Master's degree in Supply Chain
• Experience working for or supporting an owner, developer, EPC contractor, or major supplier delivering Oil & Gas, Renewables, Infrastructure, data cente