The Strategic Sourcing Manager is a pivotal role within the EMEA Data Center Service Procurement organization, responsible for devising and executing long-term procurement strategies that drive business value and competitive advantage. This role focuses on forming and nurturing strategic supplier relationships, managing compliance, and identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement within the supply chain.
We are currently seeking a sourcing and procurement professional to join our Data Centre Services Procurement group, specifically the EMEA Supplier Sourcing and Management Team. This role will focus on working with customers, identifying and onboarding construction services, substation long lead equipment, colocation services and real estate vendors and across all EMEA regions where required to add additional capacity to meet demand.
You will be charged with creating category sourcing plans across regions in EMEA, existing category management and reviews and then quickly delivering results that enable internal teams to meet tight schedules. Driving a focus in construction supplier sourcing of quality, innovative Sustainability focused suppliers and on Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance, In this role you will identify new ways to forge partnerships with new suppliers, evaluate new and established suppliers' performance against clearly defined metrics, and balance priorities to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management
- Lead the development and management of a strategic supplier base across EMEA regions
- Create and execute category and regional supplier sourcing strategies and timelines for current and new areas of operation
- Identify viable construction services, materials, and long lead equipment suppliers through customer collaboration and market research
- Evaluate supplier capabilities, financial stability, and performance metrics (KPIs) to ensure alignment with business needs
- Manage supplier selection process and internal handover of qualified suppliers to regional category managers for RFPs and RFQs
Business Relationship Development / Supplier Strategy Development
- Build and maintain long-term strategic partnerships with key suppliers, transitioning from transactional relationships to collaborative partnerships
- Conduct joint innovation sessions and supplier development programs to drive mutual value creation
- Establish executive-level relationships with strategic suppliers to align on long-term business objectives
- Foster collaborative partnerships that leverage supplier expertise for data center delivery excellence
- Develop supplier capability to ensure long-term value and competitive advantage
- Developing and supporting supplier- and customer-focused trainings that enable them to partner more closely with business unit.
Supplier Compliance Management
- Ensure our supplier pool delivers corporate governance across the supply base to standards
- Implement and monitor compliance frameworks to ensure suppliers meet all regulatory and company requirements
- Establish and track key compliance metrics including cycle time, performance reviews, and ongoing compliance status
- Conduct regular compliance audits and reviews to mitigate risks
- Ensure onboarding suppliers adhere to compliance requirements and standards
Risk Management & Strategic Planning
- Assess and mitigate supply chain risks including supplier insolvency, quality failures, and geopolitical issues
- Develop contingency plans to ensure continuity of supplier capacity and availability
- Monitor market conditions and supplier landscapes to proactively address potential disruptions
- Balance priorities of both us and suppliers to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes
Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
- Collaborate with internal teams (DCCD, DCE, Energy, TiPM, PreCons, Public Policy, Finance, Legal) to align sourcing goals with business needs
- Communicate frequently and professionally with internal customers and stakeholders on sourcing activities status
- Work closely with procurement teams within EMEA DCSP and Data Centre Procurement Governance team to ensure alignment
- Act as a strategic advisor to business units on supplier-related matters
Contract Negotiation & Management
- Negotiate strategic contract terms with new suppliers that deliver optimal value
- Create mechanisms to help suppliers understand our business requirements
- Manage contracts from NDAs to Master Agreements
- Ensure contract terms support long-term strategic objectives
Performance Management & Continuous Improvement
- Establish key internal metrics to monitor and improve performance against business targets
- Develop and implement KPIs for supplier lifecycle management
- Drive process and tooling improvement initiatives that positively impact customers and stakeholders
- Review current policies, processes, and systems to identify efficiency opportunities
- Scale out programs to deliver supplier onboarding more efficiently
Supplier Development & Innovation
- Actively develop supplier capability to ensure long-term value creation
- Leverage supplier expertise and innovation for competitive advantage
- Identify new ways to forge partnerships with suppliers
- Champion innovation within the supply chain through strategic supplier collaboration
Key Competencies Required
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and execute long-term sourcing strategies aligned with organizational goals
- Relationship Management: Excellence in building and maintaining strategic partnerships at all organizational levels
- Compliance Expertise: Deep understanding of regulatory requirements and corporate governance standards
- Risk Assessment: Strong analytical skills to identify and mitigate supply chain risks
- Negotiation: Advanced negotiation skills to secure optimal terms while maintaining strong relationships
- Business Acumen: Understanding of data center operations and construction industry dynamics
- Leadership: Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive strategic initiatives
Success Metrics
- Strategic supplier relationship quality and depth
- Risk mitigation effectiveness
- Cost optimization and value creation
- Supplier innovation contributions
- Stakeholder satisfaction scores
- Strategic initiative completion rates
- Supplier compliance rate and audit results
