Senior Category Manager

Walker Lovell; Oklahoma City (OK); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Strong base salary

Performance-linked bonus

Long-term progression opportunities

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is looking for a Senior Category Manager - Capital Projects to lead procurement for major capital initiatives valued between $500k and $10m. This role demands over 8 years of experience in procurement within sectors like chemicals or petrochemicals. The successful candidate will manage a team while integrating into engineering projects, ensuring competitive sourcing and contract management. This position allows for significant influence and autonomy within a growing procurement function. Remote work is an option.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of procurement experience with capital project exposure.
• Experience sourcing fixed and rotating equipment packages.
• Strong understanding of FEL / FEED stage-gate governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing for major capital equipment packages.
• Structure milestone-based contracts with risk mitigation.
• Integrate into engineering-led projects enforcing competitive bid processes.
• Develop a growing capital procurement team while managing projects.

Skills

Strong negotiation skills

Leadership capability

Technical understanding

Influencing stakeholders

Job description

Senior Category Manager - Capital Projects

Location: Oklahoma City, OK or Remote (Regional)

Travel: Approximately 25%

Compensation: Strong base + performance-linked bonus reflecting seniority and scope

Shape Capital Strategy Across a $100M Portfolio

This is a high-impact opportunity to lead and strengthen a capital procurement capability inside a publicly listed industrial manufacturer investing heavily across complex multi-year projects. You will combine hands‑on delivery with team leadership, influencing major equipment decisions at scale.

• Strong base + high-impact bonus
• Strategic visibility across engineering and executive leadership
• Autonomy to shape capital sourcing strategy
• Long-term progression within an expanding procurement function

Why This Business

A publicly traded industrial manufacturer executing significant annual capital investment across a multi-site US footprint. With a defined five-year capital plan and formalized FEL stage‑gate governance, procurement is now embedded across the full project lifecycle.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead sourcing for major capital equipment packages typically valued $500k to $10m, delivering measurable commercial value
• Structure milestone-based contracts with inspection hold points and risk mitigation mechanisms
• Integrate into engineering‑led projects, enforcing competitive bid processes and expanding supplier capability
• Lead and develop a growing capital procurement team while managing your own project portfolio

What You’ll Bring

• 8+ years procurement experience with significant capital project exposure in chemical, petrochemical, downstream refining, pulp and paper, or EPC environments
• Demonstrated experience sourcing fixed, rotating, and electrical equipment packages
• Strong understanding of FEL / FEED stage‑gate governance
• Prior experience leading or managing procurement professionals

Who This Suits

You are a commercially minded capital procurement leader who is confident influencing engineers and senior stakeholders. You combine technical understanding with structured negotiation capability and are ready to elevate a growing team while remaining hands‑on across complex projects.

Apply now for a confidential conversation with Walker Lovell.