OpenAI

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Data Center Infrastructure: Mechanical

OpenAI$135K — $160K *
Technical Services
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in strategic sourcing or procurement, ideally with datacenter mechanical systems experience.
  • Strong track record in negotiating high-value contracts.
  • In-depth knowledge of datacenter mechanical architecture and operational reliability.
  • Experience managing global suppliers across multiple geographies.
  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field; advanced degrees preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Develop global sourcing strategies for mechanical infrastructure in datacenters.
  • Lead supplier evaluations and negotiate critical systems contracts.
  • Cultivate long-term supplier partnerships for quality and cost-efficiency.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to define procurement specifications.
  • Oversee supplier production and quality to meet project timelines.
  • Identify supply chain risks and implement mitigation strategies.
  • Monitor market trends and new mechanical technologies for datacenter application.

Benefits

  • Work in a team that influences the future of AI and supercomputing infrastructure.
  • Engage with a diverse array of stakeholders from engineering to finance.
  • Opportunity to shape sourcing strategies in a high-impact environment.
Full Job Description
About the Role

We are seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager, Data Center Infrastructure to lead sourcing strategy for the critical infrastructure systems that power Industrial Compute campuses. This role will develop commercial strategies, negotiate strategic supplier agreements, and manage relationships across engineering, construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure partners responsible for delivering mission-critical facilities.

You will work closely with Infrastructure Delivery, Capacity Planning, Engineering, Finance, Construction, and external suppliers to ensure Industrial Compute has the capacity, supplier relationships, and commercial frameworks required to support rapid global expansion.

The ideal candidate has experience sourcing major infrastructure systems for hyperscale data centers, mission-critical facilities, industrial construction, semiconductor manufacturing, energy infrastructure, or similarly complex capital projects.

Key Responsibilities
  • Develop long-term sourcing strategies for data center infrastructure systems supporting Industrial Compute.
  • Lead strategic supplier selection, RFx processes, commercial negotiations, and contract execution for major infrastructure programs.
  • Build and maintain executive relationships with key suppliers, manufacturers, EPC firms, integrators, and infrastructure vendors.
  • Partner with Infrastructure Delivery and Engineering to align sourcing strategies with project schedules, technical requirements, and deployment priorities.
  • Collaborate with Capacity Planning to ensure supplier capacity aligns with long-term infrastructure roadmaps.
  • Evaluate supplier capabilities across manufacturing capacity, execution quality, financial health, delivery performance, and operational maturity.
  • Identify and mitigate supply chain risks through supplier diversification, long-term agreements, alternative sourcing strategies, and capacity reservations.
  • Monitor global market conditions, manufacturing trends, commodity impacts, geopolitical risks, and supplier ecosystems that may affect infrastructure delivery.
  • Develop supplier scorecards and performance metrics across quality, cost, schedule, responsiveness, safety, and execution.
  • Support executive sourcing decisions through financial analysis, market intelligence, scenario planning, and supplier benchmarking.
  • Partner with Legal and Finance to structure scalable commercial agreements that support Industrial Compute's long-term infrastructure strategy.

Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Operations, Finance, or a related field.
  • 8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, or infrastructure supply chain management.
  • Experience sourcing major infrastructure systems, industrial equipment, mission-critical facilities, or large capital projects.
  • Proven experience negotiating complex commercial agreements with strategic suppliers.
  • Strong understanding of supplier qualification, contract strategy, supplier performance management, and sourcing governance.
  • Experience partnering with engineering, construction, finance, legal, and operations organizations.
  • Excellent analytical, financial modeling, negotiation, and executive communication skills.

Preferred Skills

Experience sourcing one or more of the following infrastructure systems:
  • Prefabricated electrical skids and e-houses
  • Modular data center infrastructure
  • Modular cooling plants and their components (Heat exchangers, pumps, chillers, VFD)
  • Experience working with different forms of cooling (air and water cooled chillers, dry or adiabatic coolers, CRAH, CRAC, Air Handling Units)
  • Structural steel, enclosure systems and fabrication processes
  • Steel, stainless steel piping and components (valves, control valves, flanges)

Additionally, we'd value:
  • Experience supporting hyper-scale cloud, AI infrastructure, semiconductor, energy, or advanced manufacturing programs.
  • Familiarity with long-lead equipment planning and supplier capacity management.
  • Experience working with global supplier networks across North America, Europe, and Asia.
  • Experience working with EPC, design-build, or integrated project delivery partners


About OpenAI

OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research laboratory consisting of the for-profit corporation OpenAI LP and its parent company, the non-profit OpenAI Inc. The company was founded in 2015 by a group of technology leaders, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, and John Schulman. OpenAI's mission is to develop and promote friendly AI for the betterment of humanity. The company has developed a number of cutting-edge AI technologies, including GPT-3, a language processing system that can generate human-like text. OpenAI has received funding from a number of high-profile investors, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
Learn more about OpenAI
Size
100 employees
Industry
Founded
2015

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