Category Manager - Construction & Cooling

Overview

We are seeking a Category Manager - Construction & Cooling to own and execute the global sourcing and supply chain strategy for Data Center Construction & Cooling, with a primary focus on cooling equipment and related services for OFCI data center builds. This role leads end-to-end category management across sourcing, contracting, supplier performance, and capacity planning, supporting large-scale, multi-site data center expansion programs.

This role manages a significant, multi-billion-dollar category portfolio, requiring strong commercial rigor, scalable supplier strategies, and disciplined spend governance. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in data center cooling technologies, construction-related procurement, and complex, high-growth supply chain environments, with the ability to integrate Integrated Business Planning (IBP) into category strategies and supplier engagement models.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Sourcing

• Own and drive the global category management strategy for Data Center Construction & Cooling, including cooling equipment and associated services for OFCI builds
• Lead the full source-to-contract lifecycle, including:
• -- Category market intelligence and supplier landscape analysis
• -- Sourcing strategy development and RFP/RFQ execution
• -- Commercial negotiations and contract structuring
• -- Contract execution and lifecycle management
• Develop differentiated sourcing strategies aligned to regional build plans, capacity constraints, and evolving cooling technologies

IBP Integration & Supply Planning

• Integrate Integrated Business Planning (IBP) inputs into category strategies, supplier capacity planning, and sourcing decisions
• Translate demand forecasts, build schedules, and deployment timelines into supplier capacity commitments and executable supply plans
• Partner with construction, engineering, and program management teams to ensure sourcing strategies support on-time, on-budget data center delivery

Supplier Performance & Partnership Management

• Lead supplier performance management across cost, quality, delivery, capacity, and service levels
• Develop and manage strategic supplier partnerships to support scale, innovation, and long-term capacity requirements
• Identify and mitigate supply, execution, and capacity risks, including long lead-time constraints, regional dependencies, and market volatility

Spend Analytics & Governance

• Own category spend analytics, forecasting, and cost modeling to drive financial discipline and value realization
• Monitor spend performance against budgets, forecasts, and contractual commitments
• Drive continuous improvement across sourcing, contracting, supplier performance, and category governance processes

Cross-Functional & Organizational Leadership

• Act as a strategic partner to construction, engineering, infrastructure, finance, legal, and operations teams
• Operate effectively in complex, multi-entity and matrixed environments, aligning category strategies across regions, business units, and legal entities

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, with a preference for Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field
• 12 years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain leadership
• Proven experience managing large-scale construction or infrastructure-related spend portfolios
• Strong understanding of data center cooling equipment and services, particularly within OFCI delivery models
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-scale source-to-contract processes
• Experience integrating IBP, demand planning, and supply planning into category and supplier strategies
• Track record of success in fast-paced, high-growth, and ambiguous environments
• Strong commercial, analytical, and executive communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Category management or supply chain certifications (e.g., CPSM, CSCP, CPM, CIPS, or equivalent)
• Experience supporting hyperscale or large-scale data center construction programs
• Familiarity with OFCI contracting structures and construction execution models
• Experience working in matrixed, multi-entity, or global organizations