Category Manager II, III, Sr (IT Solutions)

At Williams, we’re powering a cleaner, more connected future, and that starts with you. Here, your work fuels communities, drives innovation, and helps deliver reliable energy the world depends on. Join a Fortune 500 team that invests in your growth, values your contributions, and challenges you to make a lasting impact every day. This role will place you at the intersection of business strategy, supplier management, and technology advancement. You will leverage your strong commercial mindset, market intelligence, and proactive approach to identify opportunities that create value for the organization. As the Category Manager, IT Solutions , you will develop and execute strategic category plans across technology-related spend, including software, hardware, cloud services, subscriptions, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and managed services. You will partner closely with IT leadership, Finance, Legal, Cybersecurity, and business stakeholders to align sourcing strategies with organizational priorities. In this role, you will lead supplier and market analysis, support negotiations, optimize spend, manage supplier performance, and identify opportunities to improve value, reduce risk, and advance Williams' long-term technology roadmap. You will play a critical role in ensuring Williams' technology ecosystem remains secure, innovative, cost-effective, and well-positioned to support the company's future growth and operational objectives. Responsibilities/Expectations: Interprets business challenges and recommends standard methodologies/strategies to improve category, processes or services Collaborates with business partners to develop comprehensive supplier and category strategies Develops and leads cross-functional supplier qualification and management processes Builds Key Performance Indicators for supplier performance reviews Identifies and establishes strategic supplier partnerships to handle costs and optimize resources Develops and maintains category and subcategory structures Negotiates and implements contract terms and conditions Conducts spend analysis and develops measurable supplier management and risk mitigation processes Other duties as assigned Education/Years of Experience: Required: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Business, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering or technology field; minimum of seven (7) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment Preferred: Certification from Institute of Supplier Management (ISM) or American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS); minimum of nine (9) year's experience handling a diversified supply chain environment Other Requirements: Demonstrates excellent organizational/interpersonal skills and safety as the utmost priority Proficiency in Microsoft Office Application and PC skills Experience working in a cross-functional environment Demonstrates conceptual and practical expertise in category and supplier management Demonstrates materials planning experience #LI-KM2 Why Houston? Big career opportunities in one of the world’s energy capitals, endless food spots and a diverse vibe—all without paying NYC or LA prices. Work hard, live better. Check out Houston.org to learn more. We invest in our people in ways that actually show up in your day-to-day, not just on paper. Our Total Rewards are built to support how you work, live, and plan for what’s next. Here’s a look at what that means: Strong pay plus an annual incentive program Hybrid work for most office roles, plus real flexibility in many field positions Medical, dental, and vision coverage with options that fit your life, not the other way around 401(k) with company match and an annual company contribution Paid time off, including company and floating holidays Paid parental leave (up to six weeks per parent), plus fertility and adoption support Advanced AI tools and resources to help level up and work smarter Clear paths to grow your career, with a strong culture of promoting