Director, Data Center Equipment Category Manager (AI Infrastructure)

Location: Hybrid; San Jose Office (Zanker), San Francisco Office (Fremont St), Bellevue Office, or Remote, USA

Salary: $263K–$350K for San Francisco/San Jose, $237K–$315K for Bellevue, WA, or $224K–$298K for Remote, USA; annual salary ranges.

Company

Lambda is an AI cloud infrastructure company serving AI researchers, enterprises, and hyperscalers.

What you will do

• Lead category managers across electrical, mechanical, and modular equipment while owning critical sourcing events and negotiations.
• Develop multi-year strategies for data center equipment including transformers, switchgear, generators, UPS, power distribution, chillers, CDUs, air handling, liquid cooling, and modular power and cooling systems.
• Secure constrained manufacturing capacity, lead RFI/RFP/RFQ processes, select suppliers, and execute contracts.
• Negotiate master supply agreements, pricing, lead times, warranties, liquidated damages, and performance guarantees with Legal and Finance.
• Coordinate equipment specifications, awards, deliveries, testing, logistics, storage, installation, warranty, and commissioning with Design, Engineering, Construction, Development, general contractors, and EPCs.
• Drive cost reduction, supplier qualification, performance management, risk mitigation, category governance, and executive reporting.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management, including at least 5 years focused on data center, mission-critical, energy, or heavy industrial electrical and mechanical equipment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of people leadership managing category managers or sourcing professionals while remaining hands-on in sourcing strategy and negotiations.
• Experience owning multi-year strategies for high-spend, supply-constrained equipment categories with material cost and continuity-of-supply impact.
• Knowledge of data center equipment OEMs, integrators, manufacturing capacity, lead times, and pricing dynamics.
• Experience personally closing large master supply agreements and capacity commitments as a lead negotiator.
• Experience sequencing long-lead equipment against live construction schedules and collaborating with design, engineering, and construction teams.
• Experience establishing process, policy, or governance standards adopted by an organization.
• Ability to brief and persuade executives, build business cases, and operate effectively amid ambiguity, compressed timelines, and supply constraints.

Nice to have

• Experience at a hyperscaler, AI cloud, colocation provider, or data center developer.
• OEM or integrator experience in sales, commercial, or supply chain roles for electrical or mechanical equipment.
• Experience with prefabricated and modular power or cooling solutions.
• Experience with high-density AI infrastructure, liquid cooling, and CDUs.
• Engineering background or technical fluency in electrical distribution and cooling systems.
• Experience establishing a category management function or team from an early stage.

Culture & Benefits

• AI cloud infrastructure company founded in 2012 with 500+ employees and rapid growth.
• Generous cash and equity compensation.
• Health, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Wellness and commuter stipends for select roles.
• 401(k) plan with a 2% company match for USA employees.
• Flexible paid time off plan.