Director, Advanced Cooling Category Management

Responsibilities

• Build and execute global category strategy for air and liquid cooling infrastructure aligned to capacity growth, reliability targets, and engineering standards
• Map global supply base by technology and region, establishing preferred supplier frameworks and regional execution models
• Lead sourcing and negotiations for mechanical equipment, including chillers, cooling towers, CDUs, pumps, and heat exchangers, as well as spares and service agreements
• Develop contracting strategies including indexed commodities, bundled equipment and installation, time‑and‑material vs fixed‑price structures, warranties, and performance guarantees
• Partner with Engineering and Product to drive specification alignment, design‑to‑cost initiatives, and development of standard equipment building blocks and approved equipment libraries
• Coordinate with Quality and Commissioning to define acceptance criteria (FAT/SAT), documentation requirements, and change control processes
• Ensure supplier capacity planning for long‑lead equipment and manage expediting, escalation, and recovery plans to mitigate schedule risk
• Lead supplier performance management including scorecards, QBRs, reliability tracking, corrective action programs, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Manage risks associated with cooling systems, including single‑source exposure, regulatory impacts, extreme‑weather resilience, and controls obsolescence
• Drive total cost of ownership improvements across energy efficiency, water usage, maintenance strategies, and lifecycle performance
• Develop cost models, should‑cost benchmarks, and pricing frameworks for equipment, installation, and commissioning
• Maintain contract portfolios including framework agreements, service/maintenance agreements, warranty terms, and spares strategies
• Deliver supplier performance dashboards, risk registers, and executive‑level insights on category performance and supply risks

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field; equivalent experience considered
• 5+ years of experience in category management or sourcing within mechanical systems, HVAC, or capital equipment
• Working knowledge of advanced cooling technologies including air‑cooled and water‑cooled systems, pumping/hydronics, and liquid cooling architectures
• Experience with capital equipment procurement, contracting, and lifecycle cost analysis
• Strong negotiation, cost modeling, and supplier management expertise
• Ability to partner cross‑functionally with engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations teams
• Experience managing supplier performance, reliability metrics, and risk mitigation strategies
• Understanding of commissioning, acceptance testing, and product lifecycle requirements for mechanical infrastructure
• Travel required is expected to be up to 20% but may increase over time as the business evolves.