Director, Advanced Cooling Category Management, NA

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Procurement Department

The Procurement team is responsible for securing the equipment Vantage’s data centers require to function. The team leads these efforts from conception through commissioning, working with Sales, Operations, New Site Development, and Engineering along the way. Procurement also works closely with vendor partners to come up with a vertically integrated design, and we manage these partners to deliver the projects on schedule and budget. Vantage is unique in that our technical staff is given the responsibility and authority to directly drive the process. Our internal team can align long-term operational sustainability with value engineering and cost metrics to deliver products aligned with corporate goals. This approach empowers each member of the team to drive high- impact decisions and even more impactful results.

Position Overview

This role can be remote or based in any of our US locations: Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Santa Clara, CA; or Ashburn, VA.

This role owns the global mechanical category strategy and supplier ecosystem for advanced thermal management systems supporting data center infrastructure. Scope includes chillers, cooling towers, heat exchangers, pumps, valves, piping systems, and emerging liquid cooling technologies such as CDUs and skids. The role is responsible for ensuring cost, quality, delivery, and reliability outcomes, while enabling scalable deployment across regions and reducing supply chain and technical risks.

The Director partners closely with Mechanical Engineering, Product, Construction, Commissioning, Operations, and Reliability teams to ensure alignment with design standards, capacity expansion plans, and evolving cooling technologies. This role also drives global supplier strategy, performance governance, and total cost of ownership improvements, while proactively managing risks such as long-lead equipment constraints, regulatory exposure, and technology transitions.

Essential Job Functions

• 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

• Additional duties as assigned by Management

Job 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

Physical Demands and Special Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop or kneel; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Additional Details

• Salary Range: $190,000-200,000 Base + Bonus (this range is based on Colorado market data and may vary in other locations)

• This position is eligible for company benefits including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and AD&D, short and long-term disability coverage, paid time off, employee assistance, participation in a 401k program that includes company match, and many other additional voluntary benefits.

• Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including your qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience and may fall outside of the range shown.

#LI-SM2

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations.

Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Don't meet all the requirements? Please still apply if you think you are the right person for the position. We are always keen to speak to people who connect with our mission and values.

Vantage Data Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Vantage Data Centers does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage Data Centers.

We’ll be accepting applications for at least one week from the date this role is posted. If you're interested, we encourage you to apply soon—we’re excited to find the right person and will keep the role open until we do!