Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Number of Positions: 1
Reporting to: Global Procurement Director - Liquid Cooling
Location: Columbia, MD / Austin, TX
About the Role Tate is building a world-class procurement function for one of fastest growing segments and the most technically demanding segments in the data center market: liquid cooling infrastructure. As a Commodity Manager, you'll own the sourcing strategy for specific component categories within Tate's liquid cooling portfolio, working across a global supplier base to secure the right components at the right cost, quality, and delivery performance. This role is the execution engine of Tate's procurement strategy. You'll be developing supplier relationships that support our ability to deliver, identifying risks before it hits the factory production floor.
You'll work alongside Strategic Sourcing Managers who own program-level strategy, feeding them commodity intelligence that sharpens every sourcing decision including identifying qualified suppliers for multi-sourcing strategies. This role is for someone who understands components: what they're made of, who makes them, what drives their cost, and where the supply chain is fragile.
You will be the bridge to the Strategic Sourcing Manager's program strategy down to the factory level where you will work with purchasing. The right person for this role sees around corners and acts accordingly with a sense of urgency.
What You'll Do- Build and maintain a global supplier database for categories across the liquid cooling portfolio including but not limited to precision machined manifold components, stainless steel tubing and fittings, valves, quick-disconnect couplings, pumps, and related thermal management hardware.
- Develop and maintain approved vendor lists (AVLs) for categories; manage supplier onboarding and qualification processes in coordination with quality.
- Monitor supply market conditions, pricing trends, raw material indices (stainless steel, copper, aluminum, polymer, etc.), and tariff exposure and communicate findings proactively.
- Execute RFQs, RFPs, and competitive bids for categories; analyze total cost of ownership.
- Negotiate pricing, delivery terms, payment terms, and quality requirements with suppliers: target both short-term savings and long-term contractual value.
- Identify consolidation opportunities where multiple programs are purchasing the same component from different suppliers.
- Support Strategic Sourcing Managers with commodity-level market data, supplier intelligence, and cost benchmarks to sharpen program-level sourcing decisions.
- Track supplier performance, quality metrics, and lead time reliability for categories in order to escalate deterioration of supplier support before it becomes a supply disruption.
- Identify single-source dependencies within categories and develop qualification plans for alternative sources.
- Monitor geopolitical risk, country-of-origin exposure, and tariff changes affecting categories flagging cost impact to leadership.
- Responsible for contracts such as NDAs, MPAs, strategic partnership agreements, rebates, vendor inventory agreements, etc.
- Support SQE team with supplier assessments for new or underperforming vendors within your categories.
- Collaborate with Strategic Sourcing Managers to align category strategy with program-level requirements and timelines
- Work with engineering to understand component specifications, tolerance, and material requirements translating technical needs into sourcing criteria.
- Work with engineering to ensure supplier base are sufficiently certified to industry standards for data center liquid cooling in addition to ensuring proper testing is done at the supplier side per engineering needs.
- Partner with finance to support should-cost modeling, budget forecasting, and cost variance analysis.
- Contribute to Kingspan Group's sustainability goals by prioritizing suppliers with verified low-carbon manufacturing processes and responsible sourcing practices.
- Own the annual cost reduction target for categories; report progress quarterly to the Global Director.
Additional Expectations
- Remain compliant with the Code of Conduct and Policies which includes the Kingspan Group Compliance Policy.
- Ensure that all duties related to product compliance are adhered to in accordance with the Product Compliance Policy, Laws, Regulations, and market demands.
- Responsible for all tasks to achieve compliance goals and demands of the Compliance Management System.
- Must raise concerns related to the Compliance Management System to their supervisor, manager, or any member of the Leadership Team, or through the confidential whistle blower service.
What You'll Bring- A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Procurement, Logistics, General Business Management or a related field. Additional certification such as APICS, CSCP, etc. are a plus.
- Hands-on experience managing specific component categories; demonstrating knowledge of what drives cost and supply risk in your categories.
- Familiarity with liquid cooling infrastructure, data center supply chains, or thermal management components is an advantage.
- Strong negotiation skills with a track record of delivering measurable cost reductions and supply security improvements.
- Analytical mindset: comfortable with BOM, building should-cost models, TCO analysis, and supplier scorecards.
- Certification such as APICS, CSCP, etc. are a plus.
- Proficiency in procurement tools, ERP systems, and supply chain management software.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
What You'll Get- Pay range: $100,000 USD to $120,000 USD per year. This role is eligible for a discretionary bonus.
- Career Scope and Advancement: As we grow, new positions and career opportunities arise, offering accelerated paths for the right candidates, locally and globally.
- World of Wellness Philosophy: We empower you to take charge of your health and well-being. You'll have access to a wide range of medical, dental, and vision benefits, along with personalized guidance from a "Health Advocate." We also offer other supplemental options, including 401k, legal, disability, and theft insurance, to ensure your financial wellness.
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Through Planet Passionate we are determined to reduce our manufacturing carbon (CO2e) emissions to as close to zero as technically possible, together with halving carbon intensity in our primary supply chain. We are very involved in our community, and you will have ample opportunities to support us in creating a better world.
- Skills Development: Given the dynamic pace of our business and a strong collaborative environment, your new role will be diverse and multifaceted - allowing you to be more versatile and develop a broader skill set.
- Mentorship and development: At Tate, we don't believe in hierarchy, we work together as one team for one common goal. You will have access and exposure to our senior leaders and experts for learning in your role, and additionally mentorship for the future.
- Culture: We have a great team culture, highly collaborative, supportive, and social. Together we innovate, collaborate, take ownership, and strive for excellence.
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