Category/Sourcing Manager

Puget Sound Energy is looking to grow our community with top talented individuals like you! With our rapidly growing, award winning energy efficiency programs, our pathway to an exciting and innovative future is now.

PSE's Corporate Shared Services team is looking for qualified candidates to fill an open Category/Sourcing Manager position!

Specific details regarding the work arrangements for this position will be discussed in further detail during the interview process.

Job Description

The Category/Sourcing Manager focuses on Information Technology (IT) category management and strategic sourcing across enterprise software, Software as a Service (SaaS), cloud infrastructure and platforms (IaaS/PaaS), hardware, telecommunications, IT professional services, and managed services. Partners with IT, Finance, Information Security, Legal, Contract Management, and business stakeholders to align technology investments with business outcomes, optimize lifecycle costs, and address commercial, licensing, supplier, and contractual risks. Maintains current knowledge of AI-enabled software offerings, consumption-based and hybrid pricing, vendor packaging changes, and cloud and SaaS cost optimization to inform sourcing and renewal strategies.

All PSE employees are expected to uphold the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE’s operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities and promote and support a culture of total safety. Additionally, employees need to demonstrate commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct. All duties are to be performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations.

Job Responsibilities

Category Management:

Identify and evaluate potential value generating projects based on complexity, resources, risk, time to implement, and estimated financial impact.

Manage prioritized portfolio of projects for the category in the near and long term.

Maintain strong understanding of category dynamics (current market, pricing, cost drivers, industry and supplier variables) through trade groups, publications, etc. and communicates changes to business stakeholders.

Develop IT category roadmaps informed by technology demand, supplier concentration, product lifecycle and end-of-support risks, market benchmarks, and changing software licensing and AI monetization models.

Strategic Sourcing of Goods and/or Services:

Identify and document the best fit Sourcing Strategy, summarizing the project, stakeholders, opportunity, key requirements, sourcing approach/levers, and project risks.

Establish pricing methodology/matrix, mechanism for changes/adjustments, etc. for sourcing projects

Establish Key Performance Indicators/Service Level Agreements for sourcing projects

Develop baseline spend and other data needed to build Strategic Sourcing projects

Evaluate perpetual, term, subscription, named-user, concurrent-user, device, processor/core, enterprise, and consumption-based licensing models, including AI token, credit, or usage-based charges.

Sourcing Event Execution & Management:

Develop all sourcing project / event documentation (leveraging existing RFI, RFP and/or Auction templates), in addition to all other components of the sourcing event, including: Definitions, Project Overview, Timeline, Contract Template, and Financials.

Work with Contract Management to develop a specific negotiation plan for the selected supplier(s). Plan, prepare, and understand all of the open points, commercial and contractual issues.

Lead the supplier selection and RFx award process. Develop different award optimization scenarios to ensure risk is mitigated and optimization of total delivered cost is achieved.

Monitor financial value achieved from the sourcing event comparing the baseline cost/spend to the new cost/spend of the awarded supply option.

Partner with Contract Management and Legal to negotiate and execute IT vendor agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, software licensing, SaaS, cloud, support, and maintenance contracts. Identify contractual risks, non-standard terms, and escalation requirements in accordance with procurement governance.

Translate business and IT requirements into clear contractual obligations, including scope, deliverables, milestones, pricing, service levels, performance metrics, and change management provisions to ensure successful vendor delivery.

Collaborate with Legal, Information Security, Privacy, and IT stakeholders to address data protection, compliance, risk management, business continuity, and vendor performance requirements, including considerations for emerging technologies such as AI-enabled solutions.

Supplier Relationship Management:

Work with Supplier Management in segmenting suppliers at category level

Develop and manage supplier base for specific categories

Partner with stakeholders to monitor license utilization, vendor commitments, and business value while mitigating contractual and supplier risks.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in finance, supply management, business administration, engineering or other related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

5-7+ years of experience in one or more of the following skills: Strategic Planning, Source-to-Pay, Procurement Process/Governance, Spend Analytics, Category Management, Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management

Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite

Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required

Strong presentation and negotiation skills are required

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with the team and all levels and areas of the organization

Strong understanding of procurement governance, processes and policies.

Strong analytical and interpretive skills to recognize, comprehend and assess data, complex issues, and industry information.

Excellent customer service, problem solving and decision making skills

Strong negotiation skills and demonstrated conflict resolution skills

Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks and assignments simultaneously

Effective and proven strategic planning ability

Ability to present complex topics in an effective and concise manner to broad-based audiences including various levels of management

Demonstrated ability to influence without positional authority

Desired Qualifications

5-7+ years of experience in Sourcing Direct/Indirect Spend, OR Procurement Leadership

5-7+ years analytical analysis with procurement and supply chain focus

Experience in spreadsheet, database, and statistical analysis

Familiarity with eProcurement Source-to-Pay tools desirable

Experience in eSourcing tools desirable

Experience in Source-to-Pay transformation

Ability to identify, assess and mitigate risk

Strong change management skills, promotes a shared vision and inspires others to embrace new opportunities

Familiarity with business and contract law as applied to supplier relationships

Demonstrated experience sourcing and negotiating IT software, SaaS, cloud, or IT services agreements, including translating business and technical requirements into commercial terms in partnership with Contract Management and Legal.

Working knowledge of software licensing models, license entitlements and compliance considerations, SaaS subscription economics, cloud consumption pricing, and renewal mechanisms; ability to evaluate pricing proposals and lifecycle cost scenarios using spend, entitlement, and utilization data.

Ability to review and explain commercial and contractual language in MSAs, SOWs, software and SaaS agreements, order forms, and SLAs; identify material licensing, performance, data protection, liability, renewal, and exit issues; and coordinate review and escalation with the appropriate subject matter experts and approval authorities.

Additional Information

At PSE, we value our employees and provide them with opportunities to excel. We offer a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. To learn more about why PSE is a great place to work, see our Employee Value Proposition , which highlights our commitment to employee growth, work-life balance, and meaningful career opportunities in the energy sector.

The pay range for this position is $94,300.00 - $156,900.00, and this position is eligible for annual goals based incentive bonuses.

PSE offers a suite of benefits to our employees. Employees are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance. There are additional voluntary options of supplemental life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent daycare, and an Employee assistance program (EAP). For long term savings, PSE offers a 401(k) investment option and a cash balance retirement plan. Employees will also receive Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays throughout the calendar year. Detailed benefit overviews can be found on our Career page - Why Work For Us (pse.com) .

Families and businesses depend on PSE to provide the energy they need to pursue their dreams. Our steadfast commitment to serving Washington communities with safe, dependable and efficient energy started in 1873. Today we're building the Northwest's energy future through efforts like our award winning energy efficiency programs and our leadership in renewable energy.

Puget Sound Energy is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status or presence of a disability that with or without reasonable accommodation does not prevent performance of the essential functions of the job, or any other category prohibited by local, state or federal law.

Should you have a disability that requires assistance and/or reasonable accommodation with the job application process, please contact the Human Resources Staffing department at jobs@pse.com or 425-462-3017.