Senior Category Manager, M&E and Infrastructure

Location: Australia, with a preference for candidates based in Melbourne or Sydney.

Company

hirify.global designs, builds, and operates environmentally efficient data centres across Australia and Asia for local and international customers.

What you will do

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for data centre fitout and development aligned with the capital program.
• Lead RFI, RFP, tender, and high-value negotiation processes with OEMs, manufacturers, distributors, and M&E contractors.
• Define procurement models and standardise specifications with Design & Engineering, including direct supply, framework arrangements, and modular solutions.
• Develop supply, framework, and installation agreements with Legal, while managing supplier risk, resilience, performance, and strategic relationships.
• Coordinate manufacturing progress, factory acceptance testing, expediting, logistics, and site delivery for critical equipment, including customer-specific and liquid-cooled AI fitouts.
• Track savings, cost avoidance, spend, lead times, delivery, supplier performance, and budgets; support regional expansion and adopt AI and automation across procurement.

Requirements

• Proven ability to develop and deliver strategies for complex, capital-intensive spend that generate measurable and sustained commercial value.
• Expert negotiation, financial, and analytical skills, including should-cost and total cost of ownership modelling and OEM and contractor pricing analysis.
• Working knowledge of data centre M&E infrastructure, including critical power, cooling, and white space.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing lead times, capacity planning, expediting, international logistics, and supply chain risks in constrained global markets.
• Strong knowledge of supply and construction contracts, including master supply and framework agreements.
• Ability to influence senior leaders, engineers, and project directors and translate complex commercial, technical, and risk issues into clear recommendations.
• Advanced spend and cost analysis, Excel, BI, e-procurement, ERP, and project and supply chain tracking skills.
• Ability to drive adoption of new processes in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, with excellent written and verbal communication.
• High ownership, urgency, resilience, curiosity, and unquestionable integrity.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Business, Commerce, Supply Chain, or a related discipline, including an MEP trade qualification.
• 5+ years of procurement, category management, or supply chain experience, including at least 3 years leading capital equipment, construction, or M&E categories in a large, complex organisation.
• Proven track record of delivering significant savings, cost avoidance, and supply security across major capital programs.
• Experience negotiating with global OEMs and managing international supply chains, including importing, logistics, and foreign exchange exposure.

Nice to have

• Engineering or contractor experience.
• Familiarity with Australian Standard AS 4000 series and/or FIDIC contracts.
• Hands-on procurement AI experience and eagerness to apply AI tools in daily work.
• MCIPS qualification or progress toward it.
• Data centre experience, or experience in critical infrastructure, construction, energy and utilities, resources, semiconductors, or telecommunications.
• Experience operating across Asia-Pacific.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in a fast-growing, future-focused technology company supporting AI and digital infrastructure in Australia.
• Collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven work environment.
• Career development and progression opportunities as the business expands.
• Commitment to safety, sustainability, ethical sourcing, modern slavery due diligence, and Indigenous and social enterprise suppliers.
• Culture of continued learning, development, collaboration, and innovation.