Category Manager - Mechanical Equipment - Data Center

RCM Technologies, Inc.; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 108,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

RCM Technologies, Inc. is seeking a Category Manager to own procurement execution for mechanical equipment used in data centers. You will manage supplier performance, contract drafting, and commercial management in a hands-on, fast-paced environment.

The role requires extensive experience in large-scale industrial procurement, familiarity with mechanical equipment, and collaboration with Engineering, Finance, and Legal. This position is on-site with competitive compensation and benefits.

Qualifications

• 8–15+ years in procurement, supply chain, or commercial management.
• Construction environment procurement experience with large-scale industrial/infrastructure equipment.
• Data center or mission-critical infrastructure experience required.
• Proven negotiation experience; comfortable managing supplier performance under schedule pressure in fast-track environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier pre-qualification and technical-commercial due diligence with Engineering (manufacturing capacity, financial stability, lead time reliability, quality track record)
• Support vendor onboarding with Finance and Legal
• Draft, negotiate, and redlining of supply agreements; manage contract compliance, scope clarity, and change order review
• Monitor milestone payments and performance triggers
• Issue and manage POs aligned to contract terms; validate pricing and scope
• Coordinate with Planning and Construction; participate in factory visits and FAT readiness as required
• Coordinate shipment planning, transportation constraints, and delivery windows with site readiness
• Mitigate storage/staging risks; track cross-border issues
• Track manufacturing milestones and drive supplier accountability

Skills

Negotiation

Supplier performance

Contract management

Education

Engineering degree (Electrical/Mechanical/Civil)

Job description

Title or Role: Category Manager - Mechanical Equipment - Data Center

Compensation: Up to $180,000 salary with Equity & Bonus plus benefits commensurate with experience

Company Description:

Our client is a publicly traded developer and operator of large-scale data centers, delivering critical power and compute infrastructure to leading technology companies. Backed by a strong balance sheet, a rapidly expanding development pipeline, and long-term agreements with investment-grade tenants, the company is scaling aggressively to meet surging demand for AI and high-performance computing capacity.

Position Description:

Our client is seeking a Category Manager to own tactical procurement execution, supplier performance, and commercial management for mission-critical data center mechanical equipment. This is hands-on, high-accountability execution not strategic sourcing in theory. Candidates must be comfortable owning commercial documents, including contract preparation support, redlining, and change management.

Responsibilities:

• Lead supplier pre-qualification and technical-commercial due diligence with Engineering (manufacturing capacity, financial stability, lead time reliability, quality track record)
• Support vendor onboarding with Finance and Legal

Contract & Commercial Management

• Support drafting, negotiation, and redlining of supply agreements
• Manage contract compliance, scope clarity, and change order review
• Monitor milestone payments and performance triggers

Purchase Orders & Change Orders

• Issue and manage POs aligned to contract terms; validate pricing and scope
• Ensure clean documentation for Finance and Cost Engineering

Negotiations & Commercial Strategy

• Lead pricing negotiations and identify cost reduction opportunities
• Evaluate alternative suppliers and develop leverage strategies in constrained markets
• Track manufacturing milestones, drive supplier accountability, elevate delays early
• Coordinate with Planning and Construction; participate in factory visits and FAT readiness as required

Logistics & Delivery Coordination

• Coordinate shipment planning, transportation constraints, and delivery windows with site readiness
• Mitigate storage/staging risks; track customs or cross-border issues

Deep familiarity with:

Chillers, cooling towers, dry coolers, pumps, heat exchangers, CDUs/LDUs, liquid cooling skids, hydronic distribution systems, and mechanical client components

Must understand:

Fabrication lead times, skid assembly sequencing, testing requirements (pressure, flow), material volatility (steel, copper), and oversized equipment shipping constraints

Qualifications:

• 8–15+ years in procurement, supply chain, or commercial management
• Construction environment procurement experience with large-scale industrial/infrastructure equipment
• Data center or mission-critical infrastructure experience required
• Proven negotiation experience; comfortable managing supplier performance under schedule pressure in fast-track environments

Strongly Preferred:

• Long-lead constrained equipment markets; construction-integrated procurement exposure
• Contract redlining experience; ability to read drawings and technical specifications

Education & Certifications:

• Electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering degree preferred
• 401K
• Medical / Dental / Vision

Equal Opportunity Employer:

RCM is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Pay Transparency:

RCM believes in transparency and fairness in compensation. We are committed to providing our employees with competitive salaries that reflect their skills, experience, and contributions to our organization. As part of our commitment to pay transparency, we want to provide you with as much information as possible about our compensation practices.

About RCM:

RCM is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the symbol RCMT. RCM is a business and technology solutions provider with world-class talent in key market segments. We help design, build, and enable the Industries of Tomorrow, Today. Operating at the intersection of resources, critical infrastructure, and modernization of industries, RCM is a provider of services in Life Sciences, Data & Solutions (IT), Healthcare, Engineering, Aerospace & Defense, and Process & Industrial.

Disclaimer:

This job posting is intended to describe the general nature and the level of the work to be performed. It is not intended to include every job duty and responsibility specific to the position. RCM reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.