Head of Procurement (Data Centre)

One Seven Consulting; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

One Seven Consulting partners with a regional digital infrastructure and data centre platform to appoint a Head of Procurement to set up and run a full-scope function across its data centre portfolio in the region.

The role leads end-to-end procurement, shapes strategy and policy, governs tenders, negotiates major contracts and drives cost efficiency while ensuring governance, ESG and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, engineering or business.
• 10+ years procurement experience, with 4+ years leading a function.
• Experience in data centre, infrastructure or construction procurement.
• Proven track record of high-value tenders and major contracts.
• End-to-end ownership of procurement cycle incl. RFPs and negotiations.
• Experience with e-Procurement or ERP systems (SAP/Oracle/Coupa) desired.

Responsibilities

• Shape procurement strategy, policy and process for compliant, cost-disciplined sourcing across the portfolio.
• Define governance, approval workflows and controls for audits.
• Lead end-to-end procurement and tender process from requisition to contract execution.
• Set vendor criteria and lead commercial negotiations on major packages.
• Coordinate with Finance on exemptions, taxes and overseas shipments.
• Manage OPEX spend, budgeting and payments with Finance.
• Drive cost efficiency via should-cost analysis, benchmarking and TCO.
• Standardise specs, aggregate volumes and negotiate long-term supply agreements.
• Maintain supplier performance reviews and regular business reviews of key providers.
• Set up and maintain the e-Procurement system and spend visibility.
• Ensure ESG and regulatory compliance across markets and align sourcing with project goals.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Data centre procurement

Cost optimization

ESG sourcing

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain or related

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Coupa

Job description

We are partnering with a regional digital infrastructure and data centre platform in a search for a Head of Procurement to set up and run a full-scope procurement function across its data centre portfolio, covering sourcing strategy, tender governance and vendor relationships across the region.

Responsibilities

• Shape procurement strategy, policy and process to keep sourcing across the portfolio compliant, cost-disciplined and responsive, defining the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and reporting used to track performance against them.
• Put in place the authority delegation, approval workflows and procurement controls needed to satisfy governance and audit standards.
• Lead the end-to-end procurement and tender process, from requisition through bid evaluation, award recommendation and contract execution, validating approval notes and purchase requisitions before purchase orders are raised.
• Set pre-qualification and vendor selection criteria with key stakeholders, then lead commercial negotiations on major construction, equipment and services packages, keeping tenders competitive, auditable and aligned to project timelines.
• Work with project management consultants to track delivery timelines for long-lead equipment, liaise with Finance to secure tax exemptions on overseas shipments, and get ahead of potential supply chain or logistics disruptions.
• Once a facility is operational, work with the Operations team to plan budgets, run the vendor selection and bidding process for Operating Expenditure (OPEX) spend, and coordinate with Finance on contract execution and payments.
• Drive year-on-year cost efficiency by applying should-cost analysis, benchmarking and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) assessment across major spend categories, tracking savings realised against baseline.
• Look for scope to standardise specifications, aggregate purchase volumes, and negotiate longer-term supply agreements that span multiple sites.
• Cultivate strategic relationships with the key Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), contractors and service providers the business depends on, running regular business reviews that cover performance, risk and improvement actions.
• Track supplier delivery, quality and performance outcomes against contractual Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Act as the procurement subject matter expert for live and pipeline data centre developments, working alongside operations, engineering, legal, finance, and design and construction teams to keep sourcing aligned with project goals.
• Set up and maintain the e-Procurement system supporting requisition-to-pay processes, and keep spend visibility, pipeline tracking and reporting current enough for management decision-making.
• Keep procurement practice aligned with regulatory, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and internal control obligations in every market of operation, and manage supply chain exposure, including lead times on long-lead equipment.
• Bring sustainability and environmentally responsible design principles into sourcing decisions and vendor evaluation.
• Maintain and update procurement reporting, including monthly spend and contracts dashboards and a competency mapping report that tracks procurement skills against business goals.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in supply chain management, engineering, business or a related discipline is required, with Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) or equivalent certification preferred.
• 10 years or more of procurement experience end to end, at least 4 of those years spent leading a procurement function, ideally gained in data centre, infrastructure or construction settings.
• A track record of running high-value tenders and negotiating major contracts across construction and Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) equipment and related services.
• Practical, end-to-end ownership of the procurement cycle: preparing and qualifying vendor lists, issuing and evaluating RFPs, analysing bid proposals, reviewing terms and conditions with Legal, and running objective vendor shortlisting through Pre-Qualification (PQ), Technical Bid Evaluation (TBE) and Commercial Bid Evaluation (CBE) methods.
• Experience building vendor pools and shortlisting general contractors, major equipment suppliers (including long-lead items) and quantity surveying or project management consultants, spanning both local and international markets.
• Solid grasp of data centre construction methods, engineering industry standards and how project delivery works in this space.
• Demonstrated success introducing procurement policy, process and governance where no mature function previously existed, partnering across finance, legal, operations, and design and construction teams.
• Practical experience with e-Procurement or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, Oracle or Coupa would be an advantage.
• Sharp commercial, negotiation and analytical skills, equally comfortable in the weeds and at the strategic level, with strong communication and decision-making across competing stakeholder interests.
• Genuine integrity and trustworthiness, with a natural ability to bring others along and stay positive; comfortable navigating shifting priorities and ambiguity, with regional sourcing exposure across multiple Asian markets a plus.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.