Sr Category Mgr

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.  

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship, e.g., H-1B, TN, etc. Please do not apply if you will need immigration sponsorship for a work visa now or in the future, including sponsorship for H-1B, TN, etc., now or in the future. We are unable to hire individuals with CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT for this position as the position is not eligible for participation in the H-1B lottery program and is not eligible for current or future immigration sponsorship for a work visa.

Location: This is a hybrid (virtual/onsite) position with required onsite days on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday assigned to the Saginaw Service Center located in Saginaw, Michigan or One Energy Plaza, located in Jackson, Michigan.  The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate (relocation package is available for those that qualify).

GENERAL SUMMARY OF JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Category Manager of Development is responsible for leading, defining, developing, and executing strategic sourcing and commercial management activities in support of regulated utility and clean energy capital programs. This role serves as a strategic commercial leader accountable for maximizing value across complex spend categories and large‑scale generation, transmission, and infrastructure projects.

The incumbent independently manages high‑risk, high‑capital initiatives; oversees major supply, construction, and service contracts; and serves as a trusted commercial advisor to internal stakeholders, suppliers, developers, and executive leadership. Responsibilities span the full lifecycle from business case development and regulatory‑aware market analysis through sourcing strategy, contract execution, and ongoing supplier and project performance management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and execute category strategies supporting utility capital projects, clean energy development, and operations, managing $100M+ in annual spend

• Develop sourcing strategies aligned with Development Department objectives, internal supply chain requirements, and overall company strategies

• Optimize total cost of ownership across capital and operations & maintenance (O&M) spend

• Conduct complex market, financial, and spend analyses considering regulatory, supply chain, and market impacts

• Collaborate with Legal, Risk, Regulatory, Engineering, Construction, Finance, and Operations teams to structure contracts and manage commercial risk

• Lead the full contract lifecycle for utility and clean energy agreements, including EPC, construction, and service contracts

• Negotiate high‑value, technically complex contracts to achieve optimal commercial outcomes

• Provide contract administration, governance, and performance oversight through execution and operations

• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with strategic suppliers, constructors, and consultants; serve as the primary commercial interface for assigned categories

• Implement supplier performance frameworks, key performance indicators (KPIs), and continuous improvement initiatives

• Foster competition and innovation to deliver improved performance at reduced cost; follow prescribed sourcing methodologies and teach the organization by explaining the rationale behind each step during competitive bidding events

• Lead development of business cases and due diligence efforts for capital projects ranging from $50M to $1B+

• Support clean energy and utility projects from concept through execution, coordinating across cross‑functional teams

• Initiate and apply leading practices within strategic procurement to achieve a high level of process excellence; stay abreast of industry innovations and continuously improve sourcing processes and outcomes

KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES

• Utility category management and capital procurement expertise

• Strong strategic procurement knowledge and implementation experience

• Contract development, negotiation, management, and administration

• Development project, construction, and EPC contract experience

• Financial modeling, business case development, and investment evaluation

• Strong stakeholder, relationship, and supplier management skills

• Ability to synthesize complex market and spend data into effective sourcing strategies

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence across all organizational levels

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or Accounting/Finance field with four (4) years of experience in Project Management, Utility Supply Chain
o (OR) Associate’s degree with six (6) years of experience in Project Management, Utility Supply Chain
o (OR) High School Diploma/GED with eight (8) years of experience in Project Management, Utility Supply Chain

Why should you join our team?

At Consumers Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability, and we take pride in offering our co-workers excellent benefits and compensation packages. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. We're a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401k with company match
• Paid parental leave
• Up to 13 paid Holidays
• Paid time off
• Educational Assistance Program

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: 

We, at CMS Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don’t discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY, capABLE, Interfaith and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.