Global Category Manager – Energy & Utility Infrastructure

Rippling, Inc.; Denver (CO); Remote; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonus program

401k with employer match

Comprehensive health benefits

Paid time off + sick time

Job summary

Prime Data Centers is seeking a Global Category Manager to lead sourcing, contracting, and delivery of Utility Infrastructure & Electrical Equipment across its portfolio. You will own the end-to-end lifecycle for HV equipment and manage EPC partners for substation expansion projects.

You’ll shape retail power supply contracting in deregulated markets, align commercial frameworks with design standards, and build Tier-1 vendor relationships to enable rapid global expansion and reliable capacity.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Global Sourcing, Category Management, or Supply Chain Leadership in data center or heavy infrastructure.
• Technical knowledge of substation and data center electrical architecture, equipment specs, and testing standards.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, or Business.

Responsibilities

• OEM & Supply Chain Management: manage relationships with OEMs for long lead electrical equipment and track delivery commitments.
• EPC Project Management for Substations: oversee EPC partners from scope through commissioning and energization.
• Utility-Compliant Specification: ensure equipment meets utility standards, testing, and acceptance criteria.
• Design Standardization & Innovation: align sourcing with Basis of Design and project requirements.
• Retail Supply Strategy: support retail power supply contracting in deregulated markets.
• Commercial Relationship Management: act as executive contact for global vendors and build Tier 1 partnerships.
• Complex Contract Negotiations: lead MPAs, MSAs, and warranty frameworks to mitigate risk.
• Risk Mitigation: monitor global supply chain health and identify bottlenecks.

Skills

Electrical equipment fluency

EPC management

Utility-literate

Strategic negotiator

Data center expert

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Global Category Manager – Energy & Utility Infrastructure

About Prime Data Centers

Prime Data Centers develops, acquires, and operates data centers for some of the world's largest enterprises. A private firm owned by a group controlling $6 billion in assets, with a 15-year tenure in technology and real estate development, Prime provides customers with ownership options and dynamic leasing models, defining a true corporate partnership.

About the role

Prime Data Centers is seeking a strategic and results-driven Global Category Manager to lead the sourcing, contracting, and delivery of Utility Infrastructure & Electrical Equipment that unlocks power capacity across our portfolio.

This is a high-impact role responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of low-, medium-, and high-voltage equipment, with an emphasis on high-voltage substation equipment and management of the EPC partners executing the substation expansion projects that convert utility commitments into energized, revenue-generating capacity. You will also support Prime's retail power supply exposure and contracting strategy in deregulated markets.

You will be the primary architect of our Utility Infrastructure & Electrical Equipment strategy, ensuring that our commercial relationships, contract frameworks, and equipment pipelines are robust enough to support Prime's rapid global expansion.

What you\'ll do

• OEM & Supply Chain Management: Manage relationships with OEMs supplying long-lead electrical equipment including power transformers, GIS, and switchgear, tracking manufacturing slots, delivery schedules, and quality and performance commitments.
• EPC Project Management for Substations: Oversee EPC partners on substation design and construction, from scope development through commissioning, holding schedule, budget, and technical specifications to plan.
• Utility-Compliant Specification: Ensure procured equipment satisfies the serving utility's technical standards, testing requirements, and acceptance criteria where equipment will be owned, operated, or ultimately conveyed to the utility.
• Design Standardization & Innovation: Partner with the Engineering and Design teams to align sourcing strategies with equipment standards, Basis of Design (BOD), and project requirements.
• Retail Supply Strategy: Support the development and execution of Prime's retail power supply contracting strategy in deregulated markets.
• Commercial Relationship Management: Act as the executive point of contact for global vendors; build and maintain "Tier 1" partnerships that move beyond transactional buying into strategic capacity reservation.
• Complex Contract Negotiations: Lead the negotiation of Main Purchase Agreements (MPAs), Main Service Agreements (MSAs), and warranty frameworks, ensuring all contracts mitigate risk regarding lead times, liquidated damages, and performance.
• Risk Mitigation: Monitor global supply chain health, identifying potential bottlenecks in raw materials or logistics that could impact delivery.

The Ideal Profile

• Electrical Equipment Fluency: You know the LV, MV, and HV equipment markets in genuine detail. You can hold a technical conversation about a 230kV breaker or a GIS lineup.
• Credible With EPCs: You have managed EPC partners on substation or heavy electrical work and are comfortable managing from scope development and bid solicitation through commissioning and energization.
• Utility-Literate: You understand how utilities and their regulators operate, and you use that understanding to shape sourcing and EPC strategy rather than reacting to it.
• Strategic Negotiator: You don't just "buy" equipment; you build commercial frameworks. You have a proven track record of negotiating nine-figure spends in the data center, semiconductor, or energy sectors.
• Data Center Expert: You understand the "guts" of a data center - you know the difference between a chilled water system and direct-to-chip cooling, and you know the key players in the electrical value chain, able to speak to scope both commercially and technically.

Qualifications

• Experience: 5+ years in Global Sourcing, Category Management, or Supply Chain Leadership, specifically within the data center or heavy infrastructure space. Direct experience procuring high-voltage substation equipment is strongly preferred.
• Technical Knowledge: Working command of substation and data center electrical architecture, equipment specifications, and testing standards.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, or Business.
• Location: While the role is remote, we have a strong preference for candidates in Denver, CO, or those willing to relocate to the area to foster closer collaboration with our local leadership hub.
• Travel: Ability to travel globally (approx. 25%) to visit supplier factories and site builds.
• Competitive salary rangeand performance bonus program
• 401k fully vested upon enrollment, up to a 4% employer match
• 100% employee premiums paid by employer for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability
• Paid Time Off + Sick time

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Prime is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, protected veteran or military status, disability status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.