Category Management & Strategic Sourcing Analyst Sr

Specific Responsibilities

The Category Management & Strategic Sourcing Analyst Sr. for Apache Corporation will be a member of Apache’s Global Supply Chain team at the company’s Houston, Texas office reporting to the Category Management & Strategic Sourcing Manager - Indirect. The Sr. Analyst will develop strategies to minimize the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) the company receives from third parties, coordinate their implementation, and manage supplier performance for continuous improvement.

This role will be primarily responsible for the following:

• Develop and implement category strategies for IT Hardware and Software, Travel, HR Services, and Facilities. Perform assessments for the goods and services being evaluated, develop detailed supply market analyses, perform value chain analyses, and construct cost models to facilitate long-term management of Apache spend. 
• Identify strategies to support the business needs in an ever-changing market and obtain internal stakeholder buy-in across all levels of the organization.
• Identify and implement TCO reduction opportunities for the goods and services being evaluated. Optimize the total cost of the product or service by leveraging across both US and international markets, forming key supplier alliances, consolidating the supplier base, and exploring efficiencies involved in the supply chain.
• Lead cross-functional teams on project-based initiatives to develop and implement key elements of category strategies. 
• Manage the competitive bidding process for multiple lines of services globally as part of strategic sourcing events, including supplier communications.
• Oversee and construct comprehensive bid evaluation models incorporating pre-determined criteria and weightings, discounted cash flow analysis and input from Key Stakeholders.
• Develop negotiation strategies by identifying and quantifying gives, takes and best alternatives.
• Coordinate the preparation and execution of commercial agreements in a manner that ensures proper definition of the business relationship allocating / mitigating risk between Apache and the supplier.  Ensure compliance with related policies and procedures.
• Identify and monitor leading supply market indicators to proactively adjust category strategies.
• Work with key Stakeholders and suppliers to create accurate material forecasts, placing orders to ensure adequate inventory and safety stock levels avoiding any operational down time.
• Evaluate and test category levers, including pooled demand, standard designs/requirements, and supplier performance incentives to drive continuous improvement. Facilitate discussions among different functional and regional teams to uncover category insights beyond price.
• Establish, maintain, and communicate an understanding of the client business unit, the relative importance of the materials and services required, and process improvement methods utilized to support Supply Chain initiatives.  Maintain valuable local and regional supply relationships.
• Interact with business units to ensure understanding and ownership is achieved on all commercial and project-based initiatives. 
• Understand and drive adoption of Purchase-to-Pay processes and systems.
• Drive Supplier performance management through measurement of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), communication of operational performance and identification of areas for improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management or relevant Business / Technical discipline.
• Master’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management or relevant Technical discipline is preferred. 
• 7-10 years of strategic sourcing, category management or general Supply Chain experience within diverse industries / markets. 
• In-depth knowledge of category management, strategic sourcing processes, procedures & practices.
• Executed multiple, large contract / commercial negotiations.
• Upstream Oil & Gas experience with specific planning and supply chain activities related to drilling, completion or production is preferred.
• Proven track record applying complex category management techniques, including supply market analysis, TCO principles, and strategy development
• Working knowledge of evaluation modeling experience, including cost/benefit and present value analysis.
• In-depth Excel knowledge and experience.
• Experience with SAP Ariba related to sourcing and contracts is preferred.

Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate and exhibit the following core competencies:

• Communication: Writes, speaks, and presents information effectively and persuasively across communi