Labor Services Category Manager | Hybrid (Houston)

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 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.