Senior Tech Ops SCM Category Manager

As a Senior Supply Chain Management (SCM) Category Manager supporting Tech Ops Supply Chain, you’ll partner across Engineering, Reliability, Repairs, Operations, Finance, and Legal to drive sourcing and contract strategies that support aircraft availability, operational resilience, and safety. This role balances commercial rigor with operational realities by ensuring suppliers and vendors align with Southwest’s performance expectations, long-term objectives, and enterprise standards, while identifying opportunities for cost reduction, value recovery, and contract optimization. You’ll translate data into actionable insights, evaluate business cases and ROI tradeoffs, support the adoption of new processes, systems, and analytics, and influence internal and external stakeholders without direct authority to improve operational reliability, cost discipline, supplier performance, accountability, and cross-functional alignment, all while preserving strong long-term supplier relationships.

Additional Details

• The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours. 

• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. 
 

Responsibilities

• Provides subject matter expert (SME) level procurement advice to SCM leadership in support of Strategic Initiatives

• Develops and leads multiple cross-functional groups through strategic cost savings initiatives in long term agreements, as well as drives the execution of contracts to ensure cost savings realization

• Works closely with internal Strategic Sourcing team to drive best-in-class operational and strategic initiatives with our Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers

• Serves as the department Diverse Supplier advocate, ensures inclusive quoting and bids to promote increased diverse spend

• Responsible for cultivating long term strategic relationships with critical and diverse suppliers and determining the best management method to attain proper oversight and value

• Leads thorough and inclusive sourcing efforts to obtain best prices and availability for assets, including a strong knowledge of alternate products that can result in both cost and time savings

• Develops meaningful metrics for tracking and reporting Supplier and internal operational performance. Able to compile and present metrics to Senior Leadership

• Analyze and calculate commodity total cost of ownership and suggest methods obtain long term strategic value

• Mentors, develops and trains Category Managers in all aspects of procurement, to increase department skill sets in order to provide added value

• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee’s Leaders

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates a strong ability to challenge and influence at all levels on the most complex issues and programs

• Strong ability to drive value by providing alternative and sometimes challenging views as a trusted advisor

• Ability to transfer knowledge and experience to junior Category Managers to build a stronger, more knowledgeable, cross functional team

• Strong knowledge of the business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources while adhering to FAA/ Regulatory, Financial and Quality Compliance standards

• Strong ability to read and comprehend various technical documentation such as: Complex engineering documents, Service Bulletins, Airworthiness Directives, Component Maintenance Manuals, and I