Director, Infrastructure Compute Procurement (AI)

TL;DR

Director, Infrastructure Compute Procurement (AI): Building and leading the function for procuring and governing compute infrastructure assets at scale with an accent on supplier strategy, cost optimization, and international procurement. Focus on operationalizing multi-entity procurement structures, implementing Asset Lifecycle Management, and managing multi-billion dollar spend portfolios.

Location: Hybrid (San Francisco, CA or New York City, NY). Must be in office at least 25% of the time.

Salary: $300,000 - $360,000 USD

Company

AI safety and research company building reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.

What you will do

• Lead supplier strategy and cost optimization for compute hardware, including GPUs, TPUs, and networking infrastructure.
• Operationalize tax-optimized procurement entities for domestic and international data center expansion.
• Implement Asset Lifecycle Management (ALM) programs and ensure rigorous audit and SOX compliance.
• Manage finance operations for data center buildouts, including BOM-to-PO reconciliation and equipment logistics.
• Build and lead the Infrastructure Compute Procurement team and the lease administration function.
• Integrate AI tools (Claude) into procurement workflows to reduce manual effort and improve cycle times.

Requirements

• Deep domain knowledge of compute infrastructure components: servers, GPUs/TPUs, networking, and cooling.
• Experience managing multi-billion dollar capital procurement portfolios and vendor consolidation.
• Strong understanding of procure-to-pay processes and SOX-compliant financial control frameworks.
• Experience with international procurement operations, including customs, export controls, and cross-border logistics.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Finance, Accounting, Business, or Engineering.
• Must be based in or be able to work from San Francisco, CA or New York City, NY (hybrid policy).

Nice to have

• 12+ years of procurement experience with 5+ years in compute infrastructure or data centers.
• 8+ years of people management experience scaling teams in high-growth environments.
• Experience at hyperscale companies such as AWS, GCP, Azure, NVIDIA, or CoreWeave.
• Familiarity with procurement platforms like Zip and Workday.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive compensation and optional equity donation matching.
• Generous vacation and parental leave.
• Flexible working hours and collaborative office spaces.
• A "big science" research environment focusing on high-impact, long-term AI safety goals.