Category Manager - Services (60325)

About LSB

LSB is committed to playing a leadership role in the production of low and no carbon products that build, feed and power the world. The LSB team is dedicated to building a culture of excellence in customer experiences as we deliver essential products across the agricultural and industrial end markets and, in the future, the energy markets. Join our team and help us develop innovative solutions that will improve the quality of life for current and future generations. Learn more about LSB at www.lsbindustries.com .

Position Summary

LSB Industries, Inc. is seeking an experienced Category Manager – Services to further advance our Procurement capabilities. This role drives end-to-end sourcing, supplier management, and process improvement initiatives in collaboration with Corporate & Site stakeholders to deliver best value outcomes in support of safe, continuous & reliable manufacturing operations.

The role is the commercial owner of LSBs contractor base. It manages the full lifecycle: requirements, sourcing, negotiation, Master Service Agreements (MSAs) and rate schedules, contractor onboarding, performance management, and cost recovery. It partners with Maintenance & Reliability, Turnaround, Capital Projects, Engineering, EHS, and Site Operations to support safe, continuous, and reliable manufacturing operations.

This position is on site in Oklahoma City, with periodic travel to El Dorado, AR; Cherokee, AL; Pryor, OK.

Responsibilities & Duties

Category Strategy, Sourcing, & Contractor Management

- Leverage analytics (spend, labor-rate and cost/price benchmarking) and market intelligence to frame services category opportunities and build alignment for initiatives.

- Collaborate with Corporate and Site stakeholders to capture requirements (scope, technical specifications, service levels, safety requirements) for RFx events, Statements of Work, and agreements.

- Plan and execute sourcing initiatives with cross-functional teams for recurring and turnaround services at the best overall value.

- Facilitate technical and commercial evaluation of contractor proposals with stakeholders through award recommendation.

- Lead contractor negotiations for optimal commercial terms, including labor rates, markups, overtime, per diem, equipment rates, and pricing structures (lump sum, unit rate, T&M).

- Draft and execute MSAs, Statements of Work, and Contractor Management System Addenda using corporate process and templates to mitigate risk.

- Own contractor setup in Contractor Management System for all LSB contractors.

- Manage the Approved Contractor List (ACL) for all services categories and monitor compliance.

- Review and disposition New Contractor Additions, including safety prequalification with EHS.

- Monitor contractor performance on safety, quality, schedule, and cost; drive corrective action plans for non-conformance.

Role Expectations

- Leverage corporate-wide volumes and competitive processes to secure below-market rates for comparable size and scale, and meet the annual savings target.

- Expand spend under management by putting unmanaged services under executed agreements.

- Support site stakeholders through timely resolution of contractor issues and clear communication.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

- Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.

- 7-10 years of experience in Category Management/Strategic Sourcing/Procurement, with 3+ years sourcing and managing industrial contractors.

- Preferred:

Ammonia, fertilizer, or chemical manufacturing experience.

- Experience with turnaround or capital-project contractors, including T&M, unit-rate, and lump-sum structures.

- Experience with a contractor or vendor management system (myTrack or similar) and an ERP Procurement module (JDE preferred)

Required Skills & Competencies

- Expertise in end-to-end strategic sourcing for services: scope definition, contractor selection, negotiation, and contract execution.

- Strategic mindset with strong analytical skills to identify and evaluate sourcing opportunities.

- Proven experience in planning & leading negotiations to secure optimal terms.

- Working knowledge of craft labor rate structures, markups, overtime and per diem practices, and contractor safety prequalification.

- Commercial mindset and strong analytical skills, including labor-rate benchmarking and invoice audit.

- Proven ability to plan and lead negotiations and to hold contractors to agreed terms.

- Operations-centric mindset, with the mechanical aptitude to understand maintenance, turnaround, and project scopes.

- Attention to detail and discipline in system data; comfortable doing hands-on setup as well as strategy.

- Ability to influence and resolve issues across all levels, from site craft supervisors to senior leadership.

- Ability to challenge conventional practices and drive change.

- Ability to work under pressure in a dynamic environment, especially during turnarounds.

- Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to create and present reports to Corporate/Site leadership.

- Proficiency of MS Office, with advanced Excel skills.

LSB Chemical L.L.C. is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. LSB prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. LSB conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.