Category Manager Pipe, Valves, & Fittings (PVF)

Category Manager Pipe, Valves, & Fittings (PVF) Houston, TX 77046, USA Job Description Boardwalk Pipelines is a limited partnership operating in the midstream portion of the natural gas industry, providing transportation and storage services across the United States. We are currently looking for a Category Manager Pipe, Valves, & Fittings (PVF) for our Houston, TX office. Position Description The Category Manager for Pipe, Valves, and Fittings (PVF) is responsible for end-to-end commercial ownership of all pipe, valve, fitting, and piping component categories across Boardwalk's operational and capital demand. This role develops and executes sourcing strategies, manages mill and OEM relationships, drives total cost of ownership, and ensures supply reliability across a broad materials portfolio that is fundamental to the integrity and continuity of Boardwalk's pipeline system. Key Responsibilities Category Strategy and Spend Ownership Own all pipe, valve, fitting, and piping component spend as a commercial portfolio with full accountability for cost performance, supplier strategy, supply risk, and long-term value. Develop and execute multi-year category strategies differentiated by application — large-diameter transmission pipe, facility and station piping, mainline valves, control valves, and specialty fittings. Maintain demand visibility across operational and capital requirements; deploy forward-looking sourcing strategies and supply positioning to reduce lead time and cost risk. Develop and maintain cost models tied to steel market indices, mill capacity utilization, tariff exposure, and labor costs to support negotiations, budgeting, and leadership reporting. Evaluate and pursue opportunities for specification rationalization, supplier consolidation, and volume leverage across operational and capital PVF spend. Sourcing, Contracting, and Contract Management Execute the full sourcing lifecycle for assigned categories including supplier prequalification, RFP and RFQ development, bid evaluation, commercial negotiation, and award documentation in compliance with Boardwalk's sourcing policy and delegation of authority. Draft, evaluate, and negotiate contract commercial structures in coordination with Legal, Insurance, Treasury, and Risk Management to ensure appropriate risk allocation and commercial terms. Ensure all contractual records, bid documentation, and contract correspondence are maintained in Boardwalk's contract management and ERP systems in accordance with records retention requirements. Manage post-award contract administration including contract handover, supplier performance monitoring, commercial assurance, and coordination of modifications and extensions. Negotiate frame supply agreements, blanket orders, and catalog pricing with valve OEMs and authorized distributors to support both capital and operational demand efficiently. Commercial and Supplier Management Develop and maintain preferred supplier relationships with domestic and international pipe mills, valve OEMs, and PVF distributors. Negotiate Master Supply Agreements encompassing pricing structures, volume commitments, quality standards, warranty terms, and delivery performance requirements. Monitor market conditions including domestic steel pricing, mill capacity and lead times, tariff developments, and competitive mill qualification activity. Manage supplier performance against contractual quality, delivery, and service commitments; escape and resolve claims, rejections, and non-conformances. Risk Management and Compliance Continuously assess and manage supply risk including single-source concentration, domestic mill capacity constraints, tariff and trade policy exposure, quality non-conformance risk, and lead time volatility. Ensure Boardwalk's approach to non-domestic pipe sourcing reflects current tariff policy and leadership-approved sourcing strategy. Ensure all PVF procurement complies with Boardwalk's sourcing policy, competitive bid requirements, applicable API and ASME material standards, and regulatory documentation requirements. Stakeholder Partnership Serve as the primary commercial interface for Engineering, Integrity, and Operations on all PVF sourcing and contracting matters. Collaborate with Engineering on pipe and valve specifications, material standards, and supplier qualification to ensure commercial requirements are embedded in design documents from early stages. Provide leadership with timely market intelligence on steel pricing, mill capacity, tariff developments, and PVF supply risk relevant to capital planning and budgeting. Performance Management and Reporting Track and report category KPIs including total cost of ownership, cost savings, cost avoidance, supplier on-time delivery, quality rejection rates, bid competitiveness, and contract coverage. Deliver regular category reporting to supply chain leadership on market conditions, supplier performance, and emerging risks. Required Skills, Knowledge, and Experience: Experience Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Business, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field. Minimum 8 to 12 years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management with demonstrable focus on pipe, valves, fittings, or related piping materials in an oil and gas or industrial pipeline environment. Demonstrated experience managing large-diameter pipe procurement, including mill bid processes, tonnage analysis, and delivery management. Familiarity with domestic and international steel markets, pipe mill capacity dynamics, and the impact of trade and tariff policy on PVF sourcing strongly preferred. Familiarity with quality management systems and material qualification requirements for high-pressure natural gas transmission service. Deep commercial acumen in PVF market dynamics, mill pricing structures, multi-million-dollar supply contract negotiation, and volume-based pricing optimization. Strong analytical skills in spend analysis, cost modeling, steel market benchmarking, and total landed cost analysis. Ability to manage complex, multi-supplier PVF procurement while maintaining quality and schedule discipline. Effective cross-functional collaborator with credibility to engage Engineering and operations stakeholders on technical PVF matters. Clear and confident communicator capable of presenting sourcing strategies, market intelligence, and tariff risk assessments to senior leadership. Preferred Qualifications Professional certification in supply chain or procurement (CPSM, CSCP, or equivalent). Experience with Oracle EBS, SAP, or comparable ERP platforms in a procurement workflow. Interstate natural gas pipeline or midstream industry experience. Required Education Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Business, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field. Additional Information Boardwalk Pipelines, LP, maintains a drug-free workplace and will require pre-employment drug & substance abuse testing before hiring. Boardwalk Pipelines, LP, is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. #J-18808-Ljbffr