Category Lead

Determined, imaginative, curious-if these are some of the ways you describe yourself, we want to learn more about you!

At TC Energy, we are proud to connect the world to the energy it needs. Guided by our values of safety in every step, personal accountability, one team and active learning, we deliver the critical energy that North America and the world rely on while balancing reliability, affordability and sustainability.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Senior Category Manager, Engineering, Construction, Maintenance and Fleet, and working closely with business unit partners and supply chain stakeholders, the Category Lead will lead the CM&I (Construction Management & Inspection), Commissioning, and 3PI (Third-Party Inspection) categories across all North American business units.

The Category Lead is accountable for developing and executing category strategies that generate measurable value across CM&I, Commissioning and 3PI services, leading supplier relationship management and performance governance, and overseeing sourcing and contracting activities across the entire contract lifecycle.

What you'll do

• Lead stakeholder engagement with business unit partners and supply chain to define category objectives, demand drivers, service levels and sourcing roadmaps
• Own the development, socialization and execution of multi-year category strategies, including value levers, risk mitigation and implementation plans
• Serve as the commercial lead and subject matter expert for CM&I, Commissioning and 3PI (Third-Party Inspection) services (internal demand/spend, external market dynamics, supplier landscape)
• Lead supplier relationship management for strategic suppliers, including governance cadences, performance scorecards, continuous improvement plans and issue escalation
• Lead complex sourcing initiatives end-to-end for CM&I, Commissioning and 3PI (strategy, RFx, technical/commercial evaluation, award), ensuring compliance to all policies, processes and governance requirements
• Develop negotiation strategies and commercial recommendations grounded in total cost, market intelligence, contract risk and business requirements
• Lead contractual and commercial negotiations for high-value/complex agreements, partnering with Legal, Finance and risk stakeholders as required
• Prepare and present category strategies, business cases and recommendations to senior stakeholders
• Oversee contract governance, ensuring appropriate approvals, documentation and audit-ready contract records are maintained
• Support the implementation and ongoing utilization of SAP Fieldglass for CM&I services (requirements, supplier enablement, adoption, and compliance)
• Provide coaching and functional guidance to category specialists/analysts and contribute to continuous improvement of category management practices
• Manage post-award contract performance (KPIs, amendments/change orders, claims/commercial issues), ensuring value realization and alignment to contract terms for field execution, inspection/quality and commissioning readiness
• Track and report savings and broader value outcomes (cost, risk, performance, sustainability) against agreed category strategies and sourcing plans

Minimum qualifications

• University degree with minimum 10+ years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered
• Experience with CM&I, commissioning and/or third-party inspection (3PI) service contracts in energy and/or industrial project environments
• Strong planning, project management and organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task under high pressure situations with competing priorities and a sense of urgency
• Strong commercial acumen with a strong background in contracting activities
• Experience with relevant systems and tools, such as SAP and Ariba.

Preferred qualifications

• Ability to handle competing priorities on a timely basis with a high degree of accuracy, strong organization, time management and planning skills
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills
• Demonstrated experience leading category strategy development, including stakeholder alignment, multi-year roadmaps and value realization
• Strong supplier relationship and performance management experience, including governance, scorecards and executive-level engagement
• Relevant industry knowledge.

To remain competitive, support our high-performance culture and allow for more flexibility in the way we work, we offer a hybrid work model and flexible dress code for our eligible office-based workforce in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. #LI-Hybrid

About our business

We are a leader in North American energy infrastructure, spanning Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Every day, our dedicated team proudly connects the world to the energy it needs-moving over 30 per cent of the cleaner-burning natural gas used across the continent. Complemented by strategic ownership and low-risk investments in power generation, our infrastructure fuels industries and generates affordable, reliable and sustainable power across North America, while enabling LNG exports to global markets.

TC Energy is an equal opportunity employer and participates in the E-Verify program supervised by the US government. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, age, sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or disability. We are also committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment process. Applicants requiring accommodations or accessible formats are encouraged to contact us at careers@tcenergy.com for support.

All applicants must have legal authorization to work in the country where the position is based, without restrictions. Background screening is required for all positions, which may include criminal and/or credit checks. Offers may be extended at a different level or job title that best aligns with the successful candidate's qualifications.

Learn more

Visit us at TCEnergy.com and connect with us on our social medial channels for our latest news, employee stories, community activities, and other updates.

Thank you for considering TC Energy in your career journey.