Head of Global Hyperscale Partnerships - USA based

Job description

As a global pioneer in oil-free centrifugal chiller technology with an expanding portfolio of thermal management solutions, Smardt is dedicated to delivering high-efficiency and energy-saving systems for industries, real estate developments, health care and educational centers worldwide. We operate manufacturing facilities in the US, Canada, Germany, China, and Australia, with a team of over 900 employees. With a focus on reliability, performance, and environmental stewardship, Smardt continues to redefine industry standards through advanced engineering and a commitment to a more sustainable future. What We're Looking For: Smardt is seeking a senior commercial leader to establish and grow strategic relationships with the world’s leading hyperscale data centre operators, neocloud providers, colocation companies, technology platform companies and engineering partners. The Head of Global Hyperscale Partnerships will lead Smardt’s commercial strategy for the global hyperscale market. The role will be responsible for developing executive-level customer relationships, gaining approved-vendor and specified-product status, identifying major data centre opportunities and positioning Smardt’s cooling technologies within emerging AI and high-density computing infrastructure. This is a market-creation and strategic business development role. The successful candidate will understand how hyperscalers evaluate technologies, approve suppliers, develop reference architectures and engage with equipment manufacturers, consulting engineers, general contractors and ecosystem partners. Working closely with Data Centre Sales, New Business Development, Engineering, Product Management, Operations and Quality, this leader will also translate customer requirements into clear internal priorities so Smardt can become organizationally ready to support hyperscale customers globally. This role will be based in the United States and require frequent domestic and international travel. What You'll Do: Global Hyperscale Strategy Develop and execute Smardt’s global hyperscale account and business development strategy. Build a prioritized target-account plan covering hyperscalers, neocloud providers, colocation operators, AI infrastructure companies and other major data centre customers. Define account-specific strategies, stakeholder maps, qualification pathways and commercial priorities. Identify the technical, commercial, operational and supply-chain requirements necessary for Smardt to become an approved supplier. Maintain a structured view of current relationships, historical engagement, active opportunities, barriers to entry and next actions for each priority account. Provide regular market intelligence regarding hyperscale investment, data centre capacity growth, AI infrastructure, cooling trends, competitor activity and customer requirements. Strategic Account Development Establish trusted relationships with senior customer stakeholders across engineering, infrastructure, procurement, sustainability, operations and supply chain. Secure access to customer decision-makers and technical influencers. Lead strategic customer meetings, discovery sessions, technical reviews and executive presentations. Understand each customer’s design standards, approved equipment requirements, qualification processes and long-term infrastructure roadmap. Position Smardt as a strategic cooling technology partner rather than a transactional equipment supplier. Build long-term account development plans that support global project pipelines and repeatable revenue growth. Supplier Approval and Specification Lead the commercial effort to achieve approved-vendor status with priority hyperscale customers. Coordinate customer qualification, technical evaluation, factory assessment and supplier approval activities. Work with Engineering and Product Management to respond to technical specifications, design standards and reference architecture requirements. Engage with consulting engineers, design firms, OEM partners and other market influencers to secure product specification and preferred-supplier status. Develop a structured strategy to gain recognition within major AI and data centre infrastructure platforms, including relevant NVIDIA and engineering-partner ecosystems. Ensure customer feedback, qualification gaps and corrective actions are clearly documented and communicated internally. Ecosystem and Influencer Development Develop strategic relationships with engineering firms, technology providers, infrastructure partners, general contractors and equipment manufacturers that influence hyperscale data centre design and procurement. Work through strategic partners such as NVIDIA, Jacobs and other relevant engineering and technology organizations to increase Smardt’s visibility and specification potential. Identify opportunities for joint customer engagement, co-development, reference projects and technology alignment. Represent Smardt at relevant industry events, customer forums, data centre conferences and technology discussions. Build Smardt’s external credibility in high-efficiency, mission-critical and AI-ready cooling applications. Opportunity and Pipeline Management Develop and maintain a global hyperscale opportunity pipeline. Identify early-stage projects and influence customer requirements before formal procurement begins. Coordinate account ownership and opportunity pursuit across regional sales teams. Establish clear opportunity strategies, decision criteria, competitive positioning and stakeholder engagement plans. Work with Sales leadership to develop forecasts, revenue targets and account penetration objectives. Support commercial negotiations, framework agreements, strategic pricing and major customer proposals. Internal Readiness and Cross-Functional Leadership Translate hyperscale customer expectations into clear internal business requirements. Partner with the Hyperscale Program Manager and Operations leadership to evaluate organizational readiness across: Product quality and reliability Manufacturing capacity Lead times Supply-chain resilience Documentation Testing and validation Service coverage Project execution Customer communication Internal governance and decision-making Identify gaps that may prevent Smardt from qualifying for or successfully delivering hyperscale business. Support the development of internal processes, account governance and escalation mechanisms appropriate for strategic global customers. Ensure Sales, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Service and Supply Chain remain aligned on customer commitments and expectations. Act as the commercial voice of the hyperscale customer within Smardt. Initial Strategic Priorities: During the first six months, the Director, Global Hyperscale Strategic Accounts will be expected to: Establish a complete global target-account map covering hyperscalers, neocloud providers and major colocation companies. Document Smardt’s current business, historical relationships, contacts and market position within each priority account. Develop an executive engagement and qualification plan for each priority hyperscaler. Initiate or re-establish meetings with existing hyperscale contacts to understand Smardt’s current status, market reputation and supplier approval requirements. Build a clear roadmap to achieve approved-vendor status with priority hyperscale customers. Develop and advance a strategy to secure recognition within relevant NVIDIA AI data centre platforms and associated engineering ecosystems. Establish a qualified global pipeline of hyperscale data centre opportunities. Define the internal commercial, technical and operational capabilities required to support hyperscale business. VOC: Conduct structured feedback sessions with each target hyperscaler. VOC: Document the top barriers preventing Smardt from becoming an approved supplier. VOC: Deliver quarterly executive reports summarizing customer feedback, competitive positioning and recommended actions. What You'll Bring: Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in strategic sales, global account management, business development or market development. Significant experience within hyperscale data centres, mission-critical infrastructure, HVAC, thermal management, power systems, electrical infrastructure or related technologies. Demonstrated experience working directly with major hyperscalers, neocloud providers, colocation operators or global data centre customers. Established relationships within the global data centre ecosystem are strongly preferred. Experience navigating approved-vendor processes, technical qualification, customer specifications and global framework agreements. Proven success developing new strategic accounts where no established commercial relationship previously existed. Experience influencing complex buying groups involving engineering, procurement, operations, sustainability and executive leadership. Experience working with consulting engineering firms, technology partners, general contractors and market influencers. Understanding of global data centre project development, procurement and construction cycles. Education/Certifications: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Technology, Construction Management or a related field. An advanced degree in Business or Engineering is considered an asset. Technical Skills: Strong understanding of hyperscale data centre customers and their supplier ecosystems. Knowledge of data centre cooling systems, central plant infrastructure and high-efficiency mechanical systems. Familiarity with air-cooled and water-cooled architectures, liquid cooling trends and AI-driven increases in rack density. Understanding of customer qualification, product validation, technical specifications and supplier approval requirements. Strong commercial judgment and ability to build strategic account plans. Ability to interpret complex technical and business requirements. Strong executive presentation, negotiation and relationship-building skills. Ability to operate effectively in a global, cross-functional and rapidly evolving environment. Strong opportunity management and forecasting discipline. Ability to move comfortably between customer strategy, technical discussions and internal execution. Relevant experience may come from organizations operating in: Hyperscale or cloud infrastructure Data centre cooling and thermal management Mission-critical HVAC Electrical and power infrastructure Data centre equipment and controls AI infrastructure Engineering and design consulting Colocation or data centre development High-density computing Critical infrastructure technology Experience with companies such as major cloud providers, data centre infrastructure manufacturers, cooling technology companies, engineering firms or global mission-critical equipment providers would be highly relevant. What We Offer: Competitive compensation and a bonus incentive. Health and Dental Benefits from day one. 401K/RRSP matching program. A collaborative global environment with opportunities for growth. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Smardt is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. As part of our hiring process, Smardt conducts background checks in compliance with applicable laws. Please note that Smardt does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Services Agreement with agency/recruiter, we will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee.