Procurement & Operations Lead

Lambda•San Jose, CA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Operations team plays a critical role in ensuring the seamless end-to-end execution of our AI-IaaS infrastructure and hardware. This team is responsible for sourcing all necessary infrastructure and components, overseeing day-to-day data center operations to maintain optimal performance and uptime, and driving cross company coordination through product management organization to align operational capabilities with strategic goals. By managing the full lifecycle from procurement to deployment and operational efficiency, the Operations team ensures that our AI-driven infrastructure is reliable, scalable, and aligned with business priorities.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in supply chain planning, purchasing, or operations support roles within networking hardware, technology, or manufacturing industries.
Strong working knowledge of material planning, inventory management, and supplier coordination practices.
Proficient in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and comfortable managing large volumes of purchase and inventory data.
Highly organized with excellent attention to detail — you thrive in fast-paced environments where priorities shift quickly.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to anticipate supply chain risks before they impact operations.
Excellent communication skills to interface with suppliers, engineers, and cross-functional teams daily.
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in AI infrastructure, cloud hardware, or high-performance computing environments.
Familiarity with hardware lead time dynamics — e.g., GPUs, memory modules, networking switches, chassis builds.
Exposure to managing materials for projects involving liquid cooling infrastructure in data centers.
Understanding of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) programs or Consignment inventory practices.
Knowledge of basic cost tracking and invoice reconciliation processes.
APICS CPIM certification or similar supply chain professional certifications.

Responsibilities

Manage material planning and purchasing activities for key AI infrastructure components (Networking equipment).
Create, release, and manage Purchase Orders (POs) in accordance with sourcing strategies and forecasted demand.
Track open POs, confirm delivery schedules with suppliers, and proactively expedite or defer orders as needed.
Monitor inventory levels against forecast, demand changes, and supply lead times to ensure no disruption to build schedules.
Manage supplier communication related to order acknowledgments, shipment tracking, invoice discrepancies, and day-to-day issues.
Partner with Sourcing and Engineering teams to ensure material readiness for New Product Introduction (NPI) builds and mass production ramps.
Update ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP) with accurate order, receipt, and inventory status.
Flag material shortages, late shipments, and supply risks early, and work with internal teams to implement corrective actions.
Support regular reporting on material status, open order health, inventory coverage, and supply chain KPIs.