Senior Procurement Manager - Capital Projects

Keel Infrastructure•New York, NY

4h•Hybrid

About The Position

Keel Infrastructure is developing a portfolio of next-generation, HPC data centers across North America, designed for the surging demand for AI and HPC capacity. The Senior Procurement Manager - Capital Projects is crucial for ensuring the timely, on-budget, and on-spec arrival of equipment, contractors, and materials for these large-scale capital projects, including data center and HPC buildouts, power and cooling infrastructure, and major equipment acquisitions. This role serves as the on-site procurement lead in New York, managing the day-to-day procurement lifecycle from sourcing and PO issuance through vendor compliance, delivery tracking, and close-out. The manager will also handle vendor administration, transactional governance, and ERP operational execution, ensuring end-to-end procurement integrity. This position operates within the established procurement framework, acting as the hands-on executor to achieve disciplined, on-the-ground results. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in construction and/or infrastructure procurement, thrive in cross-functional project environments, and be effective in a fast-paced setting where processes, systems, and teams are evolving. They should be a natural collaborator who builds trust with development, finance, and operations stakeholders and takes ownership of execution quality.

Requirements

5–10+ years of progressive procurement experience, with a strong focus on capital projects, construction, or infrastructure environments.
Demonstrated experience sourcing and managing large, complex contracts involving multi-million-dollar spend.
Proven ability to operate as a procurement lead embedded within cross-functional project teams, coordinating effectively with development, engineering, finance, and operations stakeholders.
Strong commercial acumen with solid negotiation fundamentals and an understanding of commercial contract structures.
Knowledge of construction contracting models (e.g., GMP, lump sum, T&M, design-build, CM at-risk) and their implications for procurement scope and risk.
Experience with long-lead equipment sourcing and supply chain risk mitigation strategies.
Proficiency with ERP purchasing modules, procurement systems, and standard office productivity tools.
Working understanding of cost coding structures, commitment accounting, and project budget reporting.
Exceptional cross-functional collaboration skills — proven ability to build trust and credibility with project teams, finance, operations, and senior leadership.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate procurement processes and timelines into clear, actionable guidance for non-procurement stakeholders.
High attention to detail with the ability to connect tactical execution to broader project and financial objectives.
Self-directed and able to operate with limited oversight while knowing when to escalate.
Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments with evolving processes, systems, and organizational structures.
Results-driven with a bias for action, personal accountability, and a commitment to execution quality.
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with data center, HPC, industrial, or mission-critical facility environments is strongly preferred.
Experience supporting or operating within ERP-driven procurement environments; implementation or rollout experience is a plus.
Exposure to EPC contractor management or heavy infrastructure project environments preferred.
Professional certification (CPSM, CPM, CIPS, or equivalent) is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

Lead tactical sourcing and procurement activities for capital projects, including general contractors, EPCs, subcontractors, and critical equipment (power, cooling, electrical infrastructure).
Issue and manage project Purchase Orders in coordination with internal stakeholders and the Director of Procurement.
Partner with the Development team to align procurement activity with project schedules and milestones.
Identify and track long-lead items to mitigate schedule and cost risks.
Develop and maintain procurement plans for each project phase.
Monitor delivery schedules and coordinate with vendors to ensure on-time performance.
Conduct competitive sourcing events (RFPs, RFQs) for major capital expenditures.
Evaluate supplier proposals and provide commercial analysis to support negotiations led by or in partnership with the Director of Procurement.
Drive cost savings and cost avoidance through effective sourcing strategies.
Support the Director of Procurement on major EPC commercial structuring, framework agreements, and contract negotiations as needed.
Establish and manage relationships with key vendors, contractors, and suppliers at the project level.
Coordinate vendor onboarding, including onboarding packets, W-9 collection, and compliance documentation; collect and submit vendor banking information for centralized verification by the Director of Procurement and Finance.
Track and maintain insurance certificates (COIs) and ensure vendors meet all contractual and organizational compliance standards.
Maintain a vendor compliance tracker and vendor contact database.
Monitor vendor performance and escalate issues impacting project delivery.
Support development of a structured vendor governance framework in partnership with the Director of Procurement.
Ensure contract attachments are complete and accurate on all Purchase Orders.
Track open POs and un-received goods/services; follow up on invoice discrepancies.
Maintain organized documentation for contracts, sourcing events, change orders, and supplier communications.
Support change order documentation and escalate budget risks to the Director of Procurement and the Development team.
Assist in project cost coding discipline to ensure accuracy in reporting and forecasting.
Support ERP User Acceptance Testing (UAT) from a project procurement perspective during implementation.
Execute ERP purchasing transactions and validate cost coding completeness.
Identify gaps or inefficiencies in procurement SOPs based on field-level experience and escalate recommendations to the Director of Procurement for documentation and policy updates.
Support local delivery of requisition and purchasing process training as directed by the Director of Procurement during ERP rollout.
Coordinate with the Director of Procurement on ERP-related workflows and data quality.
Act as the primary procurement point of contact for the Development, Finance, and Operations teams in New York.
Provide guidance on procurement processes, timelines, and best practices to project teams.
Coordinate with the Director of Procurement on milestone payments to align with Finance on payment readiness.
Track procurement activities against project budgets and timelines; support cost impact analysis.
Ensure compliance with the approval matrix and commitment accounting governance established by the Director of Procurement.