Strategic Supplier Chain Manager

Role Purpose:

To manage strategic partnerships with major equipment suppliers (UPS, transformers, MV/LV switchgear, gensets, chillers, cooling towers, etc.) for multi-GW deployments. This owner-side role ensures that suppliers are qualified, coordinated, audited, and aligned with client's project schedules and quality standards.

Responsibilities:

Supplier Coordination & Relationship Management

• Act as the primary owner interface for Tier-1 strategic suppliers.

• Lead regular supplier meetings to align production capacity, technical changes, and delivery milestones.

• Facilitate cross-functional coordination between suppliers and client's engineering, procurement, and project delivery teams.

• Resolve high-level supplier disputes, quality issues, or delivery escalations.

Schedule Planning & Management

• Develop and maintain master supply schedules for multi-GW deployments, ensuring supplier manufacturing slots are locked and aligned with construction timelines.

• Proactively identify schedule risks (e.g., material shortages, production bottlenecks, logistics delays) and drive mitigation plans.

• Monitor supplier progress against production schedules and report status to internal stakeholders (project management, leadership).

• Coordinate with logistics to ensure equipment readiness matches site readiness.

Vendor Qualification

• Lead end-to-end vendor qualification process for new strategic suppliers, including capability assessments, financial health checks, reference checks, and technical evaluations.

• Maintain an approved vendor list (AVL) for critical equipment categories.

• Assess supplier manufacturing facilities, quality systems (ISO 9001, etc.), and production capacity.

Vendor Auditing (QCDS)

• Plan and execute annual QCDS (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Sustainability) audits for strategic suppliers.

• Conduct on-site factory audits to verify QA/QC processes, production controls, and safety standards.

• Develop supplier scorecards and drive corrective action plans for underperforming vendors.

• Audit supplier subcontractors and critical component sub-suppliers as needed.

Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management

• Lead long-term frame agreement negotiations (pricing, terms, capacity guarantees, liquidated damages).

• Secure strategic capacity locking for long-lead equipment across multiple project phases.

• Drive cost reduction initiatives through value engineering, should-cost analysis, and competitive benchmarking.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering (Electrical/Mechanical), or Business.

• 10+ years in strategic sourcing, supplier management, or procurement for data centre, industrial infrastructure, or high-tech manufacturing.

• Proven track record of managing large-volume contracts and multi-GW supplier coordination.

• Deep knowledge of electrical or mechanical equipment supply chains (transformers, UPS, MV/LV switchgear, gensets, chillers, cooling towers, CRAH units, CDUs).

• Strong experience in vendor qualification and supplier auditing (ISO standards, QA/QC, factory audits).

• Excellent schedule planning and project coordination skills.

• Willing to travel to supplier factories domestically and internationally.

• Mandarin speaking is a strong plus (many strategic suppliers based in China).