Procurement Manager – Data Center Cooling & Critical Infrastructure

Job Role : Procurement Manager – Data Center Cooling & Critical Infrastructure
Location: Hyderabad, India
Experience: 5–10 Years
Industry: AI Infrastructure / Data Centers / Liquid Cooling / Critical Infrastructure
Company: Stealth AI Infrastructure Startup
About the Company
We are a stealth-mode technology company building next-generation infrastructure for AI Data Centers and high-density computing environments.
Our engineering and manufacturing teams are developing advanced liquid cooling and thermal-management systems designed for the rapidly increasing power densities of modern AI infrastructure.
We are looking for a Procurement Manager who can build and manage a high-performance procurement ecosystem for critical cooling infrastructure, working closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, project management and suppliers.
About the Role
As Procurement Manager, you will own the procurement lifecycle for our Data Center Cooling and Liquid Cooling systems — from supplier identification and technical-commercial evaluation through negotiation, purchase orders, expediting, quality coordination and delivery.
The ideal candidate will have hands-on procurement experience in Data Centers, Critical Infrastructure, HVAC, Precision Cooling, Liquid Cooling, MEP, Industrial Equipment or similar environments.
You should understand that procurement for mission-critical infrastructure is not simply about achieving the lowest price — it requires balancing cost, quality, technical specifications, reliability, lead time and supply-chain risk.
Key Responsibilities :
Strategic Procurement
Develop and execute procurement strategies for data center cooling and critical infrastructure components.
Identify, evaluate and onboard qualified domestic and international suppliers.
Develop a reliable supplier ecosystem for critical and long-lead components.
Build alternate suppliers and dual-source strategies for critical components.
Negotiate pricing, payment terms, warranties, lead times and commercial conditions.
Drive cost optimization without compromising technical specifications or reliability.
Data Center Cooling Procurement
Manage procurement across components such as:
Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs)
Heat exchangers
Pumps and pump skids
Valves and actuators
Manifolds and distribution assemblies
Stainless steel / copper / specialized piping
Hoses, connectors and fittings
Sensors and instrumentation
Flow meters and control components
Cooling towers / chillers / dry coolers
CRAH / CRAC-related equipment
Liquid cooling skids
Filtration and water-treatment systems
Electrical and control panels
Industrial fabrication and machined components
Sheet metal and structural assemblies
Seals, gaskets and other critical consumables
Supplier Management
Develop and maintain a qualified supplier database.
Conduct supplier evaluation based on capability, capacity, quality, cost and delivery performance.
Manage supplier negotiations and commercial agreements.
Establish supplier SLAs and performance metrics.
Conduct periodic supplier performance reviews.
Work with suppliers to improve quality, lead times and cost.
Develop local manufacturing and fabrication partners where appropriate.
Engineering & Technical Coordination
Work closely with Design Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality teams.
Understand engineering BOMs, technical specifications, drawings and material requirements.
Participate in technical-commercial evaluations of suppliers.
Coordinate prototype and first-article procurement.
Support engineering teams in identifying alternate materials, components and suppliers.
Ensure procurement decisions remain aligned with approved engineering specifications.
Purchase & Delivery Management
Raise and manage purchase orders and procurement schedules.
Track material requirements against project timelines.
Drive supplier expediting for critical and long-lead items.
Monitor manufacturing progress and expected delivery dates.
Coordinate with Quality for inspection and acceptance.
Ensure timely delivery to manufacturing sites and project locations.
Maintain procurement trackers, supplier schedules and delivery dashboards.
Cost & Commercial Management
Prepare cost comparisons and should-cost analyses.
Negotiate annual and project-based pricing.
Identify opportunities for volume discounts and strategic sourcing.
Track procurement savings and cost avoidance.
Manage payment terms, credit periods and commercial risks.
Support budgeting and cost estimation for new cooling systems and projects.
Quality & Compliance
Work with Quality teams to establish supplier qualification processes.
Ensure suppliers meet required technical and quality standards.
Coordinate supplier audits where required.
Support incoming inspection, NCR resolution and corrective actions.
Ensure traceability and documentation for critical components.
What We're Looking For
Must-Have Experience
5–10 years of procurement / strategic sourcing experience.
Experience in Data Centers, Data Center Cooling, HVAC, Precision Cooling, Liquid Cooling, MEP, Critical Infrastructure or Industrial Equipment.
Experience procuring engineered / mission-critical equipment and components.
Strong supplier development and negotiation experience.
Experience working with engineering drawings, BOMs and technical specifications.
Strong understanding of manufacturing and supply-chain processes.
Experience managing multiple suppliers and projects simultaneously.

Work arrangement
No