Director, Vendor Management (AI)

TL;DR

Director, Vendor Management (AI): Owning the end-to-end operational vendor ecosystem and commercial relationships for a high-performance GPU cloud infrastructure provider with an accent on contract negotiation, SLA governance, and strategic vendor performance management. Focus on building a tiered vendor classification system, managing cross-functional platform integrations, and leading a team of vendor operations and contracts managers.

Location: Must be based in the US

Salary: $175,000 - $205,000 USD

Company

Nscale is a GPU cloud infrastructure provider engineered for AI, supporting start-ups and large enterprises with high-performance, cost-effective computing solutions.

What you will do

• Own the end-to-end vendor strategy for all operational service and platform vendors, including facilities management and preventative maintenance.
• Establish and enforce SLAs, KPIs, and escalation protocols to ensure vendor accountability.
• Manage all commercial relationships, contract negotiations, renewals, and quarterly business reviews for key platforms like Jira, ServiceNow, and Salesforce.
• Partner with Finance and Business Intelligence to align contract terms with data access and reporting requirements.
• Lead and develop a team of two Senior Managers focused on Vendor Operations and Vendor Contracts.
• Coordinate with the construction supply chain organization on post-handover vendor needs.

Requirements

• Must be based in the US
• 10+ years of experience in vendor management, procurement, or operations, preferably in infrastructure, datacenters, or tech.
• Proven track record of managing diverse vendor portfolios, including both operational services and software platforms.
• Strong contract negotiation skills with legal-commercial fluency.
• Experience managing and developing teams across multiple vendor categories.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, or a related field.

Culture & Benefits

• Highly competitive compensation package including base salary and equity.
• Human-First Flexibility with a focus on autonomy and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to work at a fast-growing AI startup on cutting-edge infrastructure.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plan participation.
• Collaborative and innovative environment with a focus on transparency and ownership.