Category Lead Buyer - GDF SUEZ Energy North America - Houston, TX

Part of the global energy group

GDF SUEZ

, we manage a range of energy businesses in North America, including:

Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) distribution and sales

Electricity generation and cogeneration

Retail electricity sales and related services to commercial and industrial customers, small and large

Profile

GDF SUEZ Energy North America brings clean, safe, reliable energy to customers and communities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Active in North America for more than 40 years, we are a pioneer in the LNG industry, a leading retail energy player, and a seasoned operator of environmentally sound, flexible power generation plants.

Category Lead Buyer

This new, manager level job function has been recently created as part of the deep, Group Transformation of the Procurement function and the Group’s reliance on Procurement as one of the critical levers to achieve transformation of the business. Procurement at the most senior levels of the Group intends to strengthen management of its Procurement Departments to pursue:

• Optimization of external spend by activating all of category management’s spend reduction levers


• Management of key suppliers on behalf of the Group

While reporting directly to a procurement manager in Houston, to fulfill BEI’s regional business unit’s procurement transformation from local and tactical procurement to international category management, this BEI Category Lead Buyer based in Houston will rely on the Regional CPO (head of north America procurement) and the Category Manager (paris) who will validate key milestones and facilitate issue resolution.

Requirements

Successful candidate will have the equivalent of over 12 years of direct pricing and terms and conditions negotiations experience buying from Suppliers/Vendors with a preference for experience with gas, coal, wind and biomass turbine power generators or engines;

Preferred candidate will have extensive experience working with or buying from manufacturers of complex engineered mechanical parts (such as engines/turbines for power plants and wind farms, boilers, plant controls systems). A critical requirement of this role will be to lead by example and deliver excellence in customer service to internal stakeholders in Plants operations. The candidate will have excellent communications skills in the delivery of presentations and preparation of category analyses to influence and sell strategies, timelines and innovative market approaches. The ideal candidate will be very comfortable with and experienced in the creation of new processes and tools where none currently exist while supporting the development and implementation of a new central procurement department focused on category management and not tactical buying.

This new role will require extensive networking with international procurement buyers, category managers and plant operations managers and therefore solid communications and sales/influence skills and cooperation are mandatory.

This role fulfils the international Category Lead Buyer role based in Houston for international entities thereby representing buying interests for South America, Middle East and Asia, UK/Turkey, Australia and Indonesia with an initial focus in Wind Turbine Operations Category and other mechanical products that will be assigned from time to time. The role will be responsible for leading the implementation of the category approved strategies with the support of international, local and regional category Buyers in close coordination with Operations.

The category lead buyer is responsible for the implementation of signed master international framework agreements throughout our international business entities and manages subsequent supplier performance (savings, cost reductions, supplier performance). In addition the Category Lead Buyer develops and manages an international network of local Category Buyers relying upon product and market knowledge as well as effective people leadership skills to deliver engaged buyer network. The Category Lead Buyer Understands product performance data working closely with engineering department to design market strategies for developing Long Term Contracted Supplier Partnerships and reducing overall supplier base within BEI and GSENA.

Working closely with the head of procurement analytics performance is directly responsible for effecting purchases worth $500M USD annually in Opex and Capex for BEI Group spend and delivering cost reductions of $7M annually using 15+ years of engineering and/or procurement experience preferably in the energy sector or engine manufacturing sector.

The role also develops price and strategic sourcing strategy for international operations (UK, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia, Latin America, Middle East and Asia) leveraging total volume with international suppliers relying upon procurement’s analytics performance function to deliver total cost of ownership price reductions or value increases.

Develops and leads targeted supplier negotiations strategy directly with International Suppliers in order to ensure that the best price, quality and service level expectations are met.

Essential Physical Abilities

English as a first language for ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form with senior executives, suppliers and buyers.

Ability to handle multiple assignments on a timely basis with a high degree of accuracy.

Ability to use personal computer, excel spreadsheets mandatory

Travel required up to 25% of the time. Travel is throughout North America.

Qualifications

Mandatory: Bachelor’s degree (engineering, business, supply chain or equivalent);

Preferred: MBA (supply chain) (business)

Manufacturing background or buying from manufacturers with complex engineered products.

Experience in Operations and Procurement an asset. Experience running direct, small business operations or account management portfolios a definite asset but not mandatory.

Experience in the power production plant environment, (electricity, nuclear or hydro) preferred.

Experience with Matrix reporting environments or program management desireable in military, government or commercial market spaces.

Experience delivering projects, initiatives on time mandatory.

Experience with Excel, Powerpoint, Microsoft Project.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

• Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster. Do NOT contact us with unsolicited services or offers.