Senior Category Sourcing Manager, Data Center

Nscale

9d•Remote

About The Position

Nscale is seeking an experienced Senior Category Sourcing Manager to lead strategic sourcing initiatives for data center infrastructure equipment and materials. This role is critical in building and managing supplier relationships, negotiating favorable commercial terms, and driving competitive procurement processes that support our data center construction and growth objectives. Nscale is the GPU cloud engineered for AI, providing cost-effective, high-performance infrastructure for AI start-ups and large enterprise customers. The Supply Chain and Procurement team plays a critical role in shaping supply strategy, securing continuity of supply, and enabling the company’s growth through data-led decision-making. In this role, you will own category strategy end-to-end, using expenditure and market insights to identify opportunities, leading supplier selection and negotiations, and putting scalable agreements in place that improve cost, service levels, and risk posture as the business grows. We thrive on a culture of relentless innovation, ownership, and accountability, where every team member takes pride in their work and drives it with excellence and urgency. As an Nscaler, you’ll build trust through openness and transparency, where everyone is inspired to do their best work. If you join our team, you’ll be contributing to building the technology that powers the future.

Requirements

6+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management
2+ years of experience sourcing power and cooling equipment for data center construction, critical facilities, or large-scale industrial projects
Proven track record of successfully negotiating complex, high-value framework agreements
Strong understanding of competitive bidding processes and RFx methodologies for construction and equipment procurement
Experience with supplier qualification, onboarding, and performance management for OEMs and equipment suppliers
Knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems in data center environments
Understanding of data center construction timelines, equipment lead times, and project delivery requirements
Excellent analytical skills with the ability to evaluate total cost of ownership
Strong negotiation and communication skills
Proficiency with procurement systems and tools (e-sourcing platforms, contract management systems, ERP)

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA, MS in Business or Supply Chain) or professional certifications (CPSM, CIPS, CPM)
Experience in hyperscale data center construction or mission-critical facility builds
Deep technical knowledge of power distribution systems (medium voltage, low voltage, backup power) and cooling technologies (air-cooled, liquid-cooled, evaporative cooling)
Experience with construction project procurement including equipment sequencing and staged deliveries
Understanding of commissioning requirements and factory acceptance testing (FAT) for critical equipment

Responsibilities

Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers
Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers to ensure supply continuity, quality standards, and competitive pricing
Build a diverse and resilient supplier base to mitigate supply chain risks
Lead negotiations for master framework agreements and volume purchase agreements with suppliers
Structure commercial terms that optimize total cost of ownership while maintaining quality and service level requirements
Ensure contract compliance and manage amendments, renewals, and extensions
Collaborate with legal and leadership to finalize contract terms and conditions
Design and execute competitive bidding processes (RFx) for data center infrastructure equipment and services
Develop comprehensive bid documents, evaluation criteria, and selection methodologies
Coordinate cross-functional evaluation teams to assess technical and commercial proposals
Present recommendations to stakeholders and leadership based on thorough analysis
Develop and implement category strategies aligned with business objectives and data center roadmap
Conduct market research and analysis to identify trends, pricing dynamics, and emerging technologies
Drive cost savings initiatives and value engineering opportunities
Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for the category
Partner with data center operations, engineering, finance and leadership to understand requirements and priorities
Provide market insights and supplier intelligence to inform procurement decisions
Support budget planning and forecasting activities
Communicate procurement strategies, timelines, and outcomes to stakeholders