Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Accomplishments
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Demetrious Ward

Atlanta,GA

Summary

Energy professional knowledgeable about sourcing vendors, negotiating contracts and scheduling procurement needs. Collaborative and diplomatic with a well-grounded mentality and insightful nature. Articulate, discerning and responsive to changing business needs and market trends.

Overview

24
24
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Senior Category Manager

Southern Company Gas
Atlanta, GA
02.2014 - Current
  • Manage $650M in aggregate annual spend across multiple service categories including pipeline construction, plant construction, pipeline inspections, non-destructive testing, pipeline corrosion, and other disciplines.
  • Turned around a inefficiently managed large capital pipeline inspections category, driving a $1.5M first year’s cost avoidance and exceeding expectations through the implementation of blanket contracts.
  • Perform category excellence through the development of strategic plans; including meeting with internal clients to understand needs, determine KPIs; analyze historical spend, market risks, and contractor base.
  • Apply key behaviors: performance drivers, accountability, directness, and transparency necessary to achieve valuable goals.
  • Continuously build strong relationships with business colleagues and core contractors to influence and ensure procurement alignment that delivers valuable results properly.
  • Researched, prepared for and led supplier negotiation process for managed category.
  • Lead and direct a pipeline infrastructure construction team consisting of 2 Contract Agents and 2 Procurement Buyers.
  • Resolve contractor grievances and claims against contractors.
  • Develop and execute spend category to support business objectives.
  • Direct projects through conceptual planning, schedule management, and final implementation.

Category Manager

Southern Company Gas
Atlanta, GA
08.2014 - 06.2020
  • Arranged for payment and maintained records of bids, orders and financial transactions.
  • Reviewed proposals and contracts for compliance with specifications.
  • Worked with construction vendors to avoid potential problems with services.
  • Identified, researched and assessed quality of potential vendors.
  • Recommended award of contracts.
  • Collaborated with suppliers and internal stakeholders to accomplish and outperform objectives.
  • Negotiated and finalized contracts with optimized pricing structures and delivery timetables.
  • Met with members to understand goals and recommend solutions to fit specific needs.
  • Used Excel to track, compare and assess relative advantages of competing bids.
  • Assembled specifications to obtain competitive bids for natural gas commodities and services.
  • Evaluated proposals from multiple vendors to determine most favorable option.

Buyer

Southern Company Gas
Atlanta , Georgia
01.2010 - 07.2014
  • Met with suppliers to assess changes and determine proper courses of action.
  • Managed vendor purchase order dispatch, delivery and invoicing to set contractual guidelines and maintain budgetary regulations.
  • Recommended metrics for product availability, costs and delivery to advance business objectives.
  • Communicated with vendors regarding inventory needs and negotiated prices to maintain profit margins.
  • Computed and created purchase orders to monitor stock levels, verify purchase requisitions and expedite customer orders.
  • Negotiated policies and contracts with vendors to achieve optimal pricing and consistent availability.
  • Represented company at national and regional trade shows.
  • Maintained focus and organization to regularly complete tasks with precision, timeliness and flexibility to accommodate fluctuating assignments and emerging business trends.

GIS Coordinator

Southern Company Gas
Atlanta, GA
01.2008 - 12.2010
  • Generated data layers, tables and reports for use by stakeholders.
  • Integrated Geographic Information Systems analyses into other programs to address existing problems.
  • Used Geographic Information Systems technology and equipment to produce detailed maps.

Processor

Southern Company Gas
Atlanta, GA
04.2006 - 12.2008
  • Entered data into computer tracking system.
  • Received and reviewed incoming documents.
  • Monitored outstanding invoices.
  • Entered purchase requisitions.

Education

MBA - Project Management

Keller Graduate School of Management
Atlanta, GA
08.2007

Master of Science - Mechanical Engineering

Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
04.2004

Skills

  • Contract negotiation
  • Contractor management
  • Cross functional teams
  • Contracting policies and regulations
  • Data analysis
  • Strategic planning
  • Market analysis
  • Continuous process improvements
  • Procurement expertise
  • Bid coordination
  • Proposal evaluation
  • Project Management

Affiliations

  • American Association of Blacks in Energy
  • Employee Resource Groups

Accomplishments

  • Earned the "2017, 2020, and 2021 - Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council Buyer of Year” awards for construction and facilities.


Certification

  • Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Riverwood Associates - 2020


Timeline

Category Manager

Southern Company Gas
08.2014 - 06.2020

Senior Category Manager

Southern Company Gas
02.2014 - Current

Buyer

Southern Company Gas
01.2010 - 07.2014

GIS Coordinator

Southern Company Gas
01.2008 - 12.2010

Processor

Southern Company Gas
04.2006 - 12.2008

MBA - Project Management

Keller Graduate School of Management

Master of Science - Mechanical Engineering

Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University

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Demetrious Ward