Electrical Procurement Category Manager

DC BLOX•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Electrical Procurement Category Manager develops and executes procurement strategies for mission-critical electrical equipment supporting DC BLOX hyperscale, backbone, and edge data center development programs. The role serves as a subject matter expert in electrical equipment procurement, leading supplier discovery, commercial negotiations, contract development, and procurement lifecycle management from project inception through final delivery. Working with Engineering, Construction, Legal, Commissioning, Finance, and equipment manufacturers, the role ensures electrical systems are procured in alignment with project schedules, technical requirements, quality standards, and corporate procurement objectives. It also focuses on optimizing total cost of ownership and mitigating commercial risk. Procurement activities span equipment selection and contracting through manufacturing, factory acceptance testing, delivery, installation support, commissioning, warranty, and long-term lifecycle support.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Construction Management, or a related technical discipline.
10 or more years of procurement experience supporting commercial construction, manufacturing, mission-critical facilities, or data center construction.
Advanced knowledge of electrical equipment design, operation, and application in mission-critical facilities.
Demonstrated expertise procuring large-scale electrical equipment for complex construction projects.
Thorough understanding of commercial contract development, authoring terms and conditions, and contract negotiations.
Proven experience executing Procure-to-Pay processes from sourcing through final payment.
Working knowledge of electrical construction practices, commissioning methodologies, and electrical safety standards.
Knowledge of commissioning procedures and industry best practices.
Experience collaborating with corporate Engineering organizations.
Basic understanding of Civil, Structural, and Mechanical systems used in data center construction.
Knowledge of power reliability, electrical system resiliency, power quality analysis, disruption mitigation, and recovery strategies.
Strong commercial negotiation, analytical, supplier management, and contract administration skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Previous procurement experience supporting hyperscale or colocation data center construction.
Established relationships with major electrical equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
Experience negotiating warranty provisions, aftermarket service agreements, lifecycle management, and preventative maintenance contracts.
Experience with Factory Acceptance Testing, equipment inspections, and manufacturing oversight.
Previous experience coordinating procurement activities with Corporate Legal Counsel.
Knowledge of utility coordination, grid interconnection, and mission-critical electrical infrastructure.
Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPSD, PMP, CCM, PE, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute sourcing strategies for mission-critical electrical equipment used in hyperscale, backbone, and edge data center construction projects.
Lead supplier discovery, qualification, evaluation, and selection for major electrical equipment packages.
Develop, negotiate, and manage commercial terms and conditions for electrical equipment procurement agreements.
Author, negotiate, and administer supply agreements, purchase orders, framework agreements, and long-term supplier contracts.
Procure electrical equipment, including standby generators, medium- and low-voltage switchgear, protective relays and power protection systems, UPS systems, PDUs, busway systems, ATS, and STS.
Coordinate procurement activities for electrical distribution systems, protection systems, controls integration, and building automation system interfaces.
Collaborate with Engineering to ensure equipment selections meet design intent, operational performance, constructability, reliability, and commissioning requirements.
Partner with Construction and Project Management teams to support procurement schedules and critical project milestones.
Lead commercial negotiations on pricing, payment terms, warranties, delivery schedules, liquidated damages, escalation provisions, supplier performance guarantees, and service agreements.
Manage supplier relationships through procurement, manufacturing, FAT, delivery, installation support, commissioning, and warranty periods.
Coordinate with Corporate Legal Counsel during procurement agreement development and execution.
Administer procurement activities in P2P systems and ensure compliance from requisition through invoice and project closeout.
Evaluate supplier performance, manufacturing quality, delivery metrics, contractual compliance, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
Support value engineering while maintaining reliability, resiliency, uptime, and project schedules.
Work with Commissioning teams to support successful equipment energization, startup, testing, and turnover.
Assist with warranty management, aftermarket service agreements, preventative maintenance strategies, lifecycle planning, and long-term equipment support.
Maintain market intelligence on electrical equipment technologies, supplier capabilities, pricing trends, manufacturing capacity, and industry lead times.
Support cross-functional initiatives involving Civil, Structural, Mechanical, and Controls disciplines as required.