Category Manager- HPC Infrastructure

Job description

The Company: NorthMark Strategies is a leading investment firm, combining capital, innovation, and engineering to drive long-term value. From operating complex businesses to backing breakthrough technologies, our mission is to build enduring businesses. Our team combines intelligent risk-taking, operational excellence, exceptional talent, and world-class computing capacity to create shareholder value. Our company offers a dynamic environment where individuals have the freedom to lead companies toward bold achievements by embracing innovation, leveraging technology, and fostering differentiated business strategies. Our values are Integrity, Ability, and Energy, and the company aims to hire individuals who possess those qualities. At NorthMark Strategies, we believe the future isn’t something to hope for, it’s something to build. We don’t just invest, we create. Bringing together strategic insight and technical horsepower to deliver outcomes that endure. 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. Key Responsibilities Category Strategy & Portfolio Leadership 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. Procurement Sourcing & Commercial Execution 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 Stakeholder & Supplier Management • 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 Required Experience • 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 Preferred Qualifications • 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 It is impossible to list every requirement for, or responsibility of, any position. Similarly, we cannot identify all the skills a position may require since job responsibilities and the Company’s needs may change over time. Therefore, the above job description is not comprehensive or exhaustive. The Company reserves the right to adjust, add to or eliminate any aspect of the above description. The Company also retains the right to require all employees to undertake additional or different job responsibilities when necessary to meet business needs. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future. Benefits & Perks: 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 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER NORTHMARK STRATEGIES LLC IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. THE COMPANY'S POLICY IS NOT TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY APPLICANT OR EMPLOYEE BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, MARITAL STATUS, MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY, AND GENETIC INFORMATION, OR ANY OTHER BASIS PROTECTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THE FIRM ALSO PROHIBITS HARASSMENT OF APPLICANTS OR EMPLOYEES BASED ON ANY OF THESE PROTECTED CATEGORIES.