Global Senior Category Manager – Infrastructure Solutions

Equinix, Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is looking for a Senior Category Manager to lead their Infrastructure Solutions team. This role involves developing strategies for inventory and distribution agreements, enhancing supplier relationships, and driving cost reductions. You will collaborate with various teams to ensure seamless operations and deliver measurable business benefits. If you are a results-oriented leader with strong negotiation skills and a passion for optimizing processes, this is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Retirement Savings Plan

Professional Development Opportunities

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

Paid Time Off

Employee Discounts

Wellness Programs

Qualifications

• 5+ years in category management and supplier negotiation.
• Experience with whitespace solutions in data centers.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiations for inventory and distribution agreements.
• Manage a team of category specialists to drive improvements.
• Collaborate with IT for system integration and risk management.

Skills

Category Management

Negotiation Skills

Analytical Skills

Supplier Relationship Management

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree (preferred)

Tools

Coupa

Spend Analytics Tools

Job description

Who are we?

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company, operating over 260data centers across the globe. Digital leaders harness Equinix's trusted platform to bring together and interconnect foundational infrastructure at software speed. Equinix enables organizations to access all the right places, partners and possibilities to scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value, while supporting their sustainability goals.

A career at Equinix means you will collaborate on work that impacts the world and be surrounded by endless opportunities to learn new skills and grow in varied directions.We embrace diversity in thought and contribution and are committed to providingan equitable work environment that is foundational to our core values as a company and is vital to our success.

Job Summary

Equinix is seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Senior Category Manager to lead our Infrastructure Solutions team with a focus on delivering Whitespace Product Inventory and Distribution Agreements within the IBX Operations team. This is a management role with direct reports, where you will collaborate closely with Operations, Product, and Sales team leaders to drive strategic initiatives that deliver best in class customer deployments.

You will be responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive category strategy that maximizes market value and aligns with our organizational goals. Your ability to engage cross-functional stakeholders will be crucial in securing buy-in for regional and global category sourcing plans that deliver measurable business benefits.

Responsibilities

Leadership

• Identify, negotiate, and deliver Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) improvement opportunities across the category, focusing on cataloguing, and inventory and distribution agreements

• Manage and mentor a team of category specialists, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement

Cost Reduction

• Drive process improvements and implement best practices to eliminate inefficiencies across multiple products and solutions

Category Management

• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert for the Inventory and Distribution category. Develop and implement sourcing strategies using spend analytics to profile and segment suppliers, prioritizing efforts and setting clear targets

Negotiation of Agreements

• Lead negotiations for cataloguing, inventory, and distribution agreements, ensuring favorable terms that align with Equinix's strategic objectives

Spend Management

• Collaborate with stakeholders to create a comprehensive Category Plan and lead the issuance of Category RFPs, ensuring effective execution and communication with internal and external parties

Contract Management

• Develop and manage Framework Contracts with Legal to meet regional and global requirements. Oversee the onboarding process for new vendors, including due diligence and approval of new vendor creation requests

Supplier Management

• Manage supplier relationships, including ranking and risk assessment. Foster long-term partnerships to facilitate feedback and optimize supplier performance, focusing on quality, service, and delivery

IT Liaison

• Collaborate with IT teams to ensure seamless integration of inventory and distribution systems, leveraging experience with Coupa or similar procurement platforms

Risk Management

• Conduct supplier ranking assessments and implement risk mitigation strategies in alignment with the Enterprise Risk Management policy

KPIs

• Track and report on key deliverables, including contract awards, supplier performance, cost savings, and cash release. Provide monthly performance reports to stakeholders

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in category management covering global inventory and distribution agreements

• 5+ years experience designing / deploying whitespace solutions in data centers

• SME level knowledge and experience of Whitespace products (cabinets, connectivity, HAC/CAC, rPDU, etc…)

• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of developing strong supplier relationships while delivering cost savings

• Familiarity with Coupa or similar procurement systems is a plus

• Excellent analytical skills and exceptional communication abilities

• Previous management experience with direct reports is essential

Equinix is committed to ensuring that our employment process is open to all individuals, including those with a disability. If you are a qualified candidate and need assistance or an accommodation, please let us know by completing this form.

Equinix is an Equal Employment Opportunity and, in the U.S., an Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful consideration of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy / childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, political / organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law.