<p><strong>FirstEnergy at a Glance</strong></p> <p>We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.</p> <p>FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.</p> <p><strong>About the Opportunity</strong></p> <p>This is for an open position with the FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. [SC00]</p> <p>The Vegetation Supply Chain Category Specialist collaborates with key internal and external stakeholders to undertake and support complex sourcing initiatives to ensure delivery of category strategies.</p> <p>This position can be sited at any location within the FirstEnergy service territory.</p> <h3>Responsibilities include:</h3> <ul> <li>Supporting the strategic category manager in achieving significant cost reductions in the Vegetation category</li> <li>Defining contracting optimization strategies that seek total cost of ownership and service level improvements</li> <li>Working directly with stakeholders (users and support areas) to develop optimization strategies and improvement execution plans</li> <li>Leveraging technology, analytics, and tools to collect and analyze supplier spend data to drive savings</li> <li>Analyzing supplier performance data and provide input to category sourcing strategy</li> <li>Developing strategic plans for contracting and improving managed category</li> <li>Leveraging influence with stakeholders to develop cost saving efforts and ensuring compliance with supply chain processes</li> <li>Ensuring execution of strategies</li> <li>Leading supplier selection and management</li> <li>Helping to measure and track performance of both incumbent and new suppliers</li> <li>Developing knowledge and best practices in the category</li> <li>Ensuring user satisfaction and compliance of the strategic sourcing process</li> <li>Keeping strategic manager informed about acquisition progress</li> <li>Planning and leading bidding processes</li> <li>Coordinating with users’ technical assessment of received proposals</li> <li>Negotiating contract conditions that are more favorable for FirstEnergy</li> <li>Tracking market dynamics of category</li> <li>Defining cost benchmarks for Vegetation Category</li> <li>Serving as subject matter expert (SME) on supply chain category strategies, programs, and/or processes.</li> <li>Leading and taking full ownership of assigned supply chain category.</li> <li>Providing technical training and education to peers and other departments</li> </ul> <h3>Qualifications include:</h3> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, business administration, engineering or related discipline and minimum 4 years’ related work experience is required.</li> <li>OR High School or equivalent and minimum 7 years’ related work experience is required. Related work experience includes supply chain / sourcing work experience.</li> <li>Successful track record in a procurement organization</li> <li>Demonstrable pattern of success in leadership of procurement-based projects and programs</li> <li>Able to lead others on projects and in solving highly complex problems and situations</li> <li>Subject matter expert on procurement topics relevant to the responsibilities of this position</li> <li>Category strategies under management</li> <li>Strategic initiatives for category optimization</li> <li>Performance indicators defined and clear for teams, designed with the performance management analyst</li> <li>Implementation plans revised and approved by buyers</li> <li>Successful implementation of category improvements</li> <li>Ensure compliance with all policies and procedures</li> <li>Vegetation management category experience (preferred)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity</strong></p> <p>At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.</p> <p><strong>Safety</strong></p> <p>Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.</p> <p><strong>Position Classification</strong></p> <h3>Exempt</h3> <h3>FirstEnergy Human Resources Team</h3>