Job Description

Job Description
CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. Our vision to lead the nation in delivering energy, service and value drives our strategy and performance. We have an unwavering commitment to safely and reliably deliver electricity and natural gas to millions of people.

Inclusion and Diversity

CenterPoint Energy is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where business results are achieved through the skills, abilities and talents of our diverse workforce.

At CenterPoint Energy, individuals are respected for their contributions toward our company objectives. We strive for an inclusive work environment across all levels that is reflective of the available workforce in the communities we serve.

Learn more in the About Us section of our career's web site.

As the Lead Sourcing Specialist - IT, you will originate and manage execution of highly complex holistic, enterprise wide IT category strategies, including strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, rapid sourcing/negotiation and risk management.

Specifically, you'll have the opportunity to:

* Lead, develop, implement, and maintain proactive sourcing strategies and plans to support the Strategic Sourcing process for assigned commodities/services in alignment with the business unit client
* Execute strategic sourcing events to support technology subcategory strategy goals, ensuring appropriate engagement of staff, stakeholders, business units and impacted individuals.
* Lead, develop and provide spend analytics, market research and cost modeling for internal purposes and to business unit client in support of category strategies
* Leverage industry knowledge and technology to establish should cost models, identify opportunities for spend leverage and drive supplier negotiations
* Actively monitor industry trends and best practices related to category assignments and incorporate them into category and execution plans and present to business unit clients as appropriate.
* Research and develop a working knowledge of the assigned commodities/services or areas of responsibilities, including how the commodities/services are made, rendered, specification requirements, and how the commodities/services are used by the Company.
* Ensure end user requirements are satisfied, develop change management activities, promote end user adoption, provide training and monitor end user satisfaction and needs.
* Ensure quality of sure, stable supply of materials/services, monitor the timeliness of the deliveries/performance, and identify patterns. Determine viable mitigation measures where needed.
* Work with stakeholders to formulate and define the scope and objective of purchases to fully understand entire purchase/service requirement and to assess risks.
* Provide expertise to ensure that Service Level Agreements meet the needs of the end-user client area.
* Identify and pursue opportunities to lower the total cost of goods and services to enhance total enterprise cost of ownership; provide supply planning and analysis; and conduct supplier performance and relationship management.
* Acquire and manage procurements; provide appropriate materials, supplies and services for day-to-day requirements, as well as, emergent work, overhauls, projects; and focus on the strategic procurement while conducting complex negotiations under aggressive time demands.
* Executes contracts in accordance with all company policies.

Qualifications
* Bachelor's degree

* 7 years of relevant work experience required in sourcing with responsibilities for large, complex negotiations with vendors and a proven record of achieving bottom-line savings for year-over-year sustainable cost reduction.

* Strong IT industry experience and IT category subject matter expertise

* Experience mentoring/training junior sourcing specialists and managing/leading projects

This position is located at our corporate office in downtown Houston, TX.

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