Senior Category Manager, M&E and Infrastructure

Job description

At NEXTDC, our growth depends on securing the critical infrastructure that brings our data centres to life. As Senior Category Manager, you’ll lead sourcing strategy across critical mechanical and electrical (M&E) power, cooling and fitout components, building strategic supplier partnerships and negotiating commercial agreements that keep projects moving. Working closely with Development, Design & Engineering, Construction and Operations, you’ll help turn our ambitious development pipeline into operational capacity across Australia and Asia. You’ll also help shape a smarter, AI-enabled way of working, using data, technology and new ideas to drive better commercial outcomes. We welcome applications from across Australia, with a preference for candidates based in Melbourne or Sydney. What You’ll Do Category strategy: Develop and execute multi-year strategies for data centre fitout and development, aligned with NEXTDC’s development pipeline and capital program. Strategic sourcing and negotiation: Lead RFI, RFP, tender processes and high-value negotiations with OEMs, manufacturers, distributors and M&E contractors, optimising total cost of ownership across price, lead time, quality, energy efficiency, warranty, spares and service. Procurement models and standardisation: Determine appropriate procurement models, including owner-furnished or contractor-furnished equipment, direct OEM supply, framework and panel arrangements, and modular or prefabricated solutions. Partner with Design & Engineering to standardise specifications across sites. Commercial frameworks: Develop and negotiate master supply agreements, framework agreements and installation contracts with Legal. Supply chain risk and resilience: Monitor supplier concentration and financial health, geopolitical and trade exposure, logistics and foreign exchange risks, implementing dual sourcing, buffer stock and contingency plans for critical items. Delivery assurance: Coordinate with project teams on manufacturing progress, factory acceptance testing, expediting, logistics and site delivery to ensure critical equipment arrives on time, specification and ready for installation and commissioning. Customer fitout: Partner with Sales, Solutions and Development on customer-specific and customer-reimbursable fitouts, including high-density and liquid-cooled AI deployments, ensuring fast, compliant and commercially sound delivery. Supplier performance and relationships: Manage strategic OEM and contractor relationships through KPIs, scorecards, quarterly business reviews and executive engagement, positioning NEXTDC as a customer of choice in a capacity-constrained market. Market and cost intelligence: Analyse supply markets, commodity and cost drivers, lead-time trends, technology roadmaps and should-cost models to inform budgets, design decisions and negotiation strategies. Value tracking and reporting: Report category performance, including savings and cost avoidance, spend under management, lead times, on-time delivery, supplier performance and budget versus actual, to Procurement leadership and executives. Regional expansion: Support NEXTDC’s growth in Asia by expanding supplier coverage, local partnerships and logistics pathways in new markets. Safety, sustainability and ethics: Embed safety, sustainability and ethical sourcing into supplier selection and management, including embodied carbon, energy efficiency, refrigerant choices and modern slavery due diligence, while creating opportunities for Indigenous and social enterprise suppliers. AI-enabled procurement: Explore and adopt AI and automation across spend and market analytics, demand forecasting, should-cost modelling, sourcing, contract review and supply risk monitoring, sharing successful practices to build a best-in-class, AI-enabled procurement function. What You’ll Bring Category leadership: Proven ability to develop and deliver strategies for complex, capital-intensive spend that generate measurable, sustained commercial value. Commercial acumen and negotiation: Expert negotiation, financial and analytical skills, including building should-cost and total cost of ownership models and analysing OEM and contractor pricing. Technical fluency: Working knowledge of data centre M&E infrastructure, including critical power, cooling and white space, to engage credibly with engineers and OEMs and challenge specifications. Engineering or contractor experience is advantageous but not essential. Supply chain management: Strong understanding of manufacturing lead times, capacity planning, expediting, international logistics and supply chain risks in constrained global markets. Contracting: Strong knowledge of supply and construction contracts, including master supply and framework agreements. Familiarity with Australian Standard (AS 4000 series) and/or FIDIC contracts is highly regarded. Influence and stakeholder management: Ability to influence and challenge senior leaders, engineers and project directors, translating complex commercial, technical and risk issues into clear recommendations. Data and insight: Advanced spend and cost analysis, Excel and BI skills, with the ability to turn data into actionable insights. Technology: Working knowledge of e-procurement, ERP and project and supply chain tracking tools. AI curiosity and learning mindset: Eagerness to learn and apply AI tools in daily work and become an AI-enabled operator. Hands-on procurement AI experience is advantageous but not essential. Change leadership: Ability to drive adoption of new processes and ways of working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including concise, executive-ready papers and recommendations. Personal attributes: High ownership, urgency, resilience, curiosity and unquestionable integrity. Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Business, Commerce, Supply Chain or a related discipline, including an MEP trade qualification. MCIPS qualification or working towards it is highly regarded. 5+ years of procurement, category management or supply chain experience, including at least 3 years leading capital equipment, construction or M&E categories in a large, complex organisation. Proven track record of delivering significant savings, cost avoidance and supply security across major capital programs. Experience negotiating with global OEMs and managing international supply chains, including importing, logistics and foreign exchange exposure. Data centre experience is highly regarded; experience in critical infrastructure, construction, energy and utilities, resources, semiconductors or telecommunications is also valued. Experience operating across Asia-Pacific is desirable. Be part of a fast-growing, future-focused technology company Play a key role in supporting AI and digital infrastructure in Australia Thrive in a collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven culture Access career development and progression opportunities as we expand Our mission is to continue building a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents the communities in which we operate. Make NEXTDC your next move. At NEXTDC we are building the heart of Australia & Asia’s high-tech future. We design, build and operate world class, next generation data centres, using cutting edge, environmentally efficient infrastructure to service the specific requirements of local, international customers. NEXTDC is an exciting ASX 100-listed technology company, only 16 years young and operating 17 data centres across 7 major cities in Australia, with multiple international sites in development to support our customer’s digital infrastructure. At NEXTDC our success depends on the talents of our people, and we foster a culture of continued learning and development. Our culture is built on collaboration and innovation, we are passionate about what we do, and we are committed to our mission to be the leading customer-centric data centre services company. Where Cloud lives and AI thrives