Category Manager

Equinix•Toronto, ON

17d•$103,000 - $155,000

About The Position

Equinix is seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Senior Category Manager to lead our Infrastructure Solutions team with a focus on delivering Whitespace Product Inventory and Distribution Agreements within the IBX Operations team. This is an individual contributor role, where you will collaborate closely with Operations, Product, and Sales team leaders to drive strategic initiatives that deliver best in class customer deployments. You will be responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive category strategy that maximizes market value and aligns with our organizational goals. Your ability to engage cross-functional stakeholders will be crucial in securing buy-in for regional and global category sourcing plans that deliver measurable business benefits.

Requirements

5+ years experience in category management covering global inventory and distribution agreements
5+ years experience designing / deploying whitespace solutions in data centers
SME level knowledge and experience of Whitespace products (cabinets, connectivity, HAC/CAC, rPDU, etc…)
Strong negotiation skills with a track record of developing strong supplier relationships while delivering cost savings
Excellent analytical skills and exceptional communication abilities
Previous management experience with direct reports is essential

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Coupa or similar procurement systems is a plus

Responsibilities

Identify, negotiate, and deliver Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) improvement opportunities across the category, focusing on cataloguing, and inventory and distribution agreements
Drive process improvements and implement best practices to eliminate inefficiencies across multiple products and solutions
Serve as the Subject Matter Expert for the Whitespace categories with emphasis on inventory and distribution concepts. Develop and implement sourcing strategies using spend analytics to profile and segment suppliers, prioritizing efforts and setting clear targets
Lead negotiations for cataloguing, inventory, and distribution agreements, ensuring favorable terms that align with Equinix's strategic objectives
Collaborate with stakeholders to create a comprehensive Category Plan and lead the issuance of Category RFPs, ensuring effective execution and communication with internal and external parties
Develop and manage Framework Contracts with Legal to meet regional and global requirements. Oversee the onboarding process for new vendors, including due diligence and approval of new vendor creation requests
Manage supplier relationships, including ranking and risk assessment. Foster long-term partnerships to facilitate feedback and optimize supplier performance, focusing on quality, service, and delivery
Collaborate with IT teams to ensure seamless integration of inventory and distribution systems, leveraging experience with Coupa or similar procurement platforms
Conduct supplier ranking assessments and implement risk mitigation strategies in alignment with the Enterprise Risk Management policy
Track and report on key deliverables, including contract awards, supplier performance, cost savings, and cash release. Provide monthly performance reports to stakeholders