Category Manager- HPC Infrastructure

NorthMark Strategies • Dallas, TX

10d

About The Position

We are seeking a Category Manager – HPC Infrastructure to define and execute the global sourcing, procurement, and supply chain strategy for end-to-end high-performance computing (HPC) and AI data center infrastructure, including GPU/accelerator platforms, compute systems, racks, high-speed networking, and large-scale storage architectures. This role owns the full category lifecycle across some of the most capacity-constrained, technologically advanced infrastructure in the market, supporting cutting-edge HPC, AI/ML, and large-scale data center deployments. The Category Manager will lead market intelligence, technology road mapping, supplier strategy, sourcing, contracting, and competitive benchmarking, with annual spend responsibility of $500M to $1B+. The ideal candidate brings deep domain expertise in modern HPC and AI infrastructure, thrives in fast-moving, supply-limited environments, and has a proven track record managing long lead-time, high-demand components such as GPUs, networking silicon, storage platforms, and integrated rack-scale solutions across complex, global organizations. This is a critical role responsible for architecting and building out a strategic category around HPC Infrastructure that will be able to scale alongside company and procurement organization growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required, with a strong preference for Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field
• 8-10 years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain management
• Proven experience managing large-scale infrastructure spend ($500M–$1B+)
• Deep understanding of HPC and AI data center infrastructure, including GPUs/accelerators, compute platforms, high-speed networking, storage systems, and rack-scale designs
• Strong background in supply chain strategy for long lead-time, high-demand hardware
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, high-stakes commercial negotiations and execute enterprise-level contracts
• Experience operating in fast-paced, high-growth, and dynamic environments
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and executive-level influence
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Category management or supply chain certifications (e.g., CPSM, CSCP, CPM, CIPS, or equivalent)
• Experience supporting hyperscale, AI, cloud, or HPC infrastructure deployments
• Familiarity with latest-generation GPU ecosystems, interconnect technologies, and advanced cooling architectures
• Proven success working within matrixed, multi-entity, or global organizations
• Strong analytical capabilities, including cost modeling, benchmarking, market intelligence, and capacity forecasting

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the global category management strategy for HPC Infrastructure, spanning: GPU and accelerator platforms (latest-generation GPUs, DPUs, AI accelerators) Compute systems and server platforms optimized for HPC and AI workloads Rack-scale and integrated systems (pre-configured racks, liquid-cooled and high-density designs) High-speed networking (InfiniBand, Ethernet, optical interconnects, switches, NICs, cables) Storage infrastructure (high-performance parallel file systems, NVMe, object and tiered storage)
• Lead technology road mapping and market intelligence, staying ahead of industry trends and ensuring early access to next-generation and “latest and greatest” infrastructure technologies
• Design and execute supply chain strategies for highly constrained, long lead-time infrastructure, including GPUs, networking silicon, optics, storage media, and power components
• Manage and optimize annual category spend of $500M–$1B+, ensuring cost efficiency, scalability, and continuity of supply while enabling aggressive growth Responsible for making critical decisions regarding entering contracts, negotiating pricing/terms, signing agreements and committing capital.
• Lead the full source-to-contract lifecycle, including: Category market intelligence, supplier landscape analysis, and technology roadmaps Supplier segmentation, dual/multi-source strategies, and ecosystem partnerships RFP/RFQ execution, commercial structuring, and complex negotiations Contract development, execution, and ongoing lifecycle management
• Develop and maintain should-cost models, TCO analyses, and competitive benchmarks across compute, networking, storage, and rack-level solutions to assess pricing, commercial terms, and supply strategies versus industry peers
• Support rapid-scale deployments by aligning procurement strategies with cluster-level and rack-scale build requirements, including factory integration, testing, and logistics
• Partner closely with engineering, infrastructure, architecture, data center design, finance, legal, and operations teams to align sourcing strategies with technical roadmaps, capacity planning, and deployment timelines
• Identify, assess, and mitigate supply, capacity, geopolitical, and technology risks, including vendor concentration, roadmap dependencies, allocation constraints, and macroeconomic impacts
• Secure capacity commitments, allocation agreements, and strategic supply assurances with key suppliers Responsible for making critical decisions on supplier selection and partnerships
• Drive supplier performance management, including delivery assurance, quality, capacity, innovation alignment, and roadmap transparency
• Influence suppliers to co-invest in next-generation infrastructure, advanced cooling, and performance-optimized designs
• Operate effectively in highly complex, multi-entity and global environments, coordinating across regions, business units, and legal entities
• Provide executive-level insights on market conditions, supply risks, and technology inflection points

Benefits

• Company-Paid Lunch Stipend : Lunch is provided via GrubHub
• Company-Paid Benefits: 100% Employer-Paid Medical in our High Deductible Health Plan, Dental and Vision benefits for employees and their families, 16 weeks of Paid Parental Leave, Employee Assistance Program, Life insurance, Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
• 401(k): Company will match 100% of your contributions up to 6%
• Optional Employee-Paid Benefits: Medical insurance in our PPO plan and a variety of other benefits such as Health Savings Accounts (with Company Contribution!), Flexible Spending Accounts, Supplemental Life Insurance, Wellhub and more.
• Time Off: 25 days of Paid Time Off plus 12 company holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager