Senior Supply Chain Manager

Nscale; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Nscale is seeking a Senior Supply Chain Manager for long-lead equipment to own end-to-end strategy from scoping through delivery and commissioning. You will drive forecasting, supplier collaboration, risk management, and cross-functional alignment with Engineering, Project Management, Finance, and Operations.

You will lead make-vs-buy decisions, develop multi-year plans, manage supplier relationships, and own purchase-to-delivery lifecycle for critical equipment at scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field.
• Experience in supply chain, procurement, or operations with responsibility for long-lead materials or capital equipment.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects with tight deadlines and high business impact.
• Strong experience with ERP/MRP systems and advanced planning tools.
• Excellent negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to translate data into actions.
• Effective communicator able to influence at multiple levels cross-functionally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the long-lead equipment strategy across assigned programs, including make-vs-buy, sourcing, and inventory strategies.
• Partner with Project Management and Engineering to translate timelines into material demand plans and procurement milestones.
• Build multi-year plans for long-lead components and equipment, aligning with growth and cost targets.
• Create and maintain detailed forecasts for long-lead items and analyze schedule changes.
• Run scenario analyses to understand impact of delays and scope changes.
• Collaborate with Finance to align spend forecasts and cash-flow impacts for major purchases.
• Identify, qualify, and manage strategic suppliers including OEMs and key component manufacturers.
• Lead sourcing events (RFI/RFQ/RFP) and negotiate contracts with suppliers.
• Develop supplier scorecards and conduct business reviews to drive performance and continuous improvement.
• Own the full purchase-to-delivery lifecycle for long-lead equipment and ensure on-time delivery to sites.
• Coordinate shipping plans, staging, and sequencing with Logistics and Site Operations.
• Monitor and resolve PO changes and issues to prevent schedule delays.
• Identify supply, schedule, quality and capacity risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Maintain a risk register for critical equipment and escalate as needed.
• Define and refine processes, tools, and KPIs for long-lead equipment management.
• Partner with IT to improve ERP/MRP, procurement and tracking workflows.
• Drive standardization of BOM structures and planning parameters.

Skills

Supply chain experience

Procurement

Negotiation

Contract management

Supplier relationships

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Advanced planning tools

Job description

The Senior Supply Chain Manager – Long-Lead Equipment is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the end-to-end supply chain strategy for complex, long-lead materials and capital equipment. This role ensures continuity of supply for critical items with extended lead times by driving rigorous forecasting, supplier collaboration, risk management, and cross-functional alignment with Engineering, Project Management, Finance, and Operations.

You will be the primary owner of long-lead equipment strategy, from early project scoping through delivery, installation, and commissioning.

Key responsibilities

Strategic planning and ownership

• Develop and own the long-lead equipment strategy across assigned programs, including make-vs-buy, sourcing, and inventory strategies.
• Partner with Project Management and Engineering to translate project timelines and specifications into material demand plans and procurement milestones.
• Build multi-year plans for long-lead components and equipment, aligning with business growth, capacity expansion, and cost targets.

Demand planning and forecasting

• Create and maintain detailed forecasts for long-lead items, incorporating project schedules, engineering changes, and historical consumption.
• Run scenario and sensitivity analyses to understand the impact of delays, scope changes, and schedule shifts.
• Collaborate with Finance to align spend forecasts and cash-flow impacts for major equipment purchases.

Supplier management and sourcing

• Identify, qualify, and manage strategic suppliers for long-lead equipment, including OEMs and key component manufacturers.
• Lead sourcing events (RFI/RFQ/RFP), contract negotiations, and frame agreements that secure capacity, pricing, and lead-time commitments.
• Develop supplier scorecards and conduct regular business reviews to drive performance, reliability, and continuous improvement.

Execution, logistics, and delivery

• Own the full purchase-to-delivery lifecycle for long-lead equipment, ensuring on-time delivery to project sites or facilities.
• Coordinate closely with Logistics, Site Operations, and Installation teams on shipping plans, customs requirements, staging, and sequencing.
• Monitor and proactively manage purchase orders, exceptions, and changes, resolving issues before they impact project timelines.

Risk management and mitigation

• Identify supply, schedule, quality, and capacity risks for long-lead items and develop mitigation plans, including alternate sources, safety stock, and dual-sourcing strategies.
• Maintain and regularly update a risk register for critical equipment and components.
• Escalate and resolve critical issues with suppliers and internal stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and decision-making.

Process improvement and systems

• Define and refine processes, tools, and KPIs for managing long-lead equipment across the organization.
• Partner with IT / Systems teams to improve ERP/MRP, procurement, and tracking workflows for long-lead items.
• Drive standardization of BOM structures, lead-time assumptions, and planning parameters to improve data quality and planning accuracy.

Cross-functional leadership

• Act as the primary point of contact for long-lead equipment topics for Project Management, Engineering, Construction, and Operations.
• Lead cross-functional reviews to align on equipment priorities, trade-offs, and decisions.
• Mentor and support more junior supply chain and procurement team members.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• Experience in supply chain, procurement, or operations, with significant responsibility for long-lead materials or capital equipment.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects with tight deadlines and high business impact.
• Strong experience with ERP/MRP systems and advanced planning tools.
• Excellent negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and translate it into clear actions and recommendations.
• Effective communicator, able to influence at multiple levels and work cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred

• Experience in [industry: e.g., manufacturing, energy, construction, data centers, semiconductors, etc.] with complex capital projects.
• Background managing global supplier bases and international logistics.
• Experience implementing or improving long-lead planning processes and tools at scale.

  Key success metrics

  • On-time delivery performance for long-lead equipment.
  • Schedule adherence for critical project milestones dependent on long-lead items.
  • Supplier performance (quality, lead time, responsiveness).
  • Forecast accuracy and reduction of supply-related schedule risks.

  About Nscale

  Nscale is taking on the hyperscalers by building a vertically integrated GenAI cloud platform. We own the data centers, software, and applications that power today's AI stack using sustainable technology solutions. We thrive on a culture of relentless innovation, ownership, and accountability, where every team member takes pride in their work and drives it with excellence and urgency. As an Nscaler, you'll build trust through openness and transparency, where everyone is inspired to do their best work. Collaboration is key, and we work together swiftly and respectfully, embracing adaptability and resilience in all we do.

  Our values

  • Relentless Innovation — At Nscale, we constantly push the boundaries of innovation, embracing creative risks to shape the future. Our aim is to deliver products that not only meet but exceed today's expectations, setting new standards for tomorrow.
  • Ownership and Accountability — Every Nscaler is fully accountable for their work, driving it with excellence and urgency. We set high standards, ensuring that our contributions are not just good but exceptional.
  • Openness and Transparency — We believe trust and transparency are key to our success. We maintain open communication within our teams and with stakeholders, sharing both successes and challenges.
  • Customer-Centric Focus — Our customers are central to our mission. We focus on deeply understanding their needs and challenges, striving to exceed expectations in both product quality and service.
  • Sustainability — We integrate sustainability into our operations and product development, ensuring that our innovations are both effective and responsible.
  • Full-Speed Collaboration — Collaboration at Nscale is fast, efficient, and respectful. We work together seamlessly, with clear communication and mutual respect.

  Equal opportunities

  At Nscale, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

  The range below reflects the base salary for the position. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as skill set, experience, education, and location. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs. Nscale may offer a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation.

  Salary Range

  $100,000 - $180,000 USD

  For information on how Nscale handles candidate personal data, please see our Employee & Candidate Privacy Notice: Here. Nscale does not accept unsolicited candidate submissions from recruitment agencies.