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IMC Trading · 1 day ago

Senior Procurement Category Manager

Chicago, IL

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

$150K/yr - $190K/yr

7+ years exp

IMC Trading is a global trading firm known for its cutting-edge research and technology. They are seeking a Senior Procurement Category Manager to source hardware and infrastructure components, ensuring optimal performance and supplier relationships in their data center operations.

Financial Services

Growth Opportunities

No H1B

Responsibilities

Develop and execute category strategies for data center–related hardware, including GPU hosts, high-density compute systems, networking gear, storage, power delivery systems, and (liquid) cooling components

Work daily with the Data Center teams to understand upcoming buildout requirements, expansion timelines, cooling and power needs, and hardware deployment schedules

Conduct RFI/RFP/RFx processes for data center buildout hardware, GPU solutions, liquid cooling systems, and ancillary infrastructure

Negotiate OEM and VAR agreements, enterprise pricing, channel incentives, lead-time structures, and service-level requirements

Coordinate closely with Legal, Risk, Finance, and Engineering teams to finalize commercial and contractual terms

Build and maintain strategic relationships with GPU manufacturers, system integrators, liquid cooling providers, server OEMs, and DC infrastructure vendors

Oversee supplier performance, pricing changes, allocation updates, and roadmap communication

Coordinate with Procurement Operations and Data Center PM on purchase order timing, delivery logistics, and inventory expectations

Right-size contracts through competitive bidding, market analysis, negotiation, and supplier performance management

Monitor trends in GPU supply constraints, liquid cooling adoption, data center thermal management, power density requirements, and HPC ecosystem developments

Provide guidance to engineering and operations teams on market dynamics influencing cost, availability, and technology selection

Analyze spend, usage patterns, and supplier KPIs to inform sourcing decisions

Build and maintain long-term, strategic relationships with key OEMs, VARs, and emerging technology vendors

Meet regularly with suppliers to review SLAs, delivery performance, pricing structures, and upcoming product changes

Collaborate with global teams to identify opportunities for consolidated purchasing, global leverage, and shared sourcing strategies across compute and infrastructure categories

Serve as a trusted advisor to Engineering and Operations across the full hardware sourcing lifecycle

Qualification

Data center hardware sourcingGPU deploymentsLiquid cooling systemsNegotiation skillsAnalytical capabilitiesSourcing toolsProject managementStructured sourcing methodologiesCommunication skillsCollaboration skillsAttention to detail

Required

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

7+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or category management, with significant focus on data center hardware, HPC environments, or enterprise compute

Extensive experience sourcing data center buildout hardware, including GPU servers and high-density compute, network switches and storage, power and cooling infrastructure components, liquid cooling systems, cold plates, manifolds, and related thermal management systems

Proven ability to negotiate complex enterprise hardware agreements, including pricing, allocation, terms, lifecycle support, and VAR channel structures

Experience collaborating closely with technical teams to translate requirements into sourcing plans

Strong project management skills supporting concurrent deployments across multiple data centers

Exceptional attention to detail, strong analytical capabilities, and experience with sourcing tools, contract systems, and spend analytics

Proven communication and collaboration skills, especially when working across engineering, procurement, and vendor ecosystems

Up-to-date knowledge of global compute, GPU, and data center infrastructure market trends, including supply chain constraints, OEM roadmaps, and emerging cooling technologies

Familiarity with structured sourcing methodologies (e.g., 7-step sourcing) and commitment to process improvement