Vaco by Highspring

Compensation

Full Description

• **Construction Category Manager - Hyperscale Data Centres*** • **Onsite in Houston, TX - 77095*** Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual's skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's 401(k) retirement plan. About the role: The Construction Category Manager leads the development and execution of category strategies supporting global hyperscale data centre construction programs, optimizing cost, quality, schedule, and supplier performance across large-scale, mission-critical infrastructure builds. This role owns end-to-end category management for construction and capital project spend, including EPC contracts, general contractors, and key trades, with a strong focus on enabling rapid, standardized, and repeatable deployment across multiple regions. By aligning sourcing and contracting strategies with program delivery objectives, the Category Manager ensures cost competitiveness, supply continuity, and successful execution of high-volume, fast-paced data centre builds. Serving as a strategic partner to Engineering, Project Management, and Construction teams, the Construction Category Manager supports the full project lifecycle of hyperscale developments-from pre-FEED and design through execution and commissioning. The role leads contractor qualification, develops sourcing strategies for complex builds, and executes commercial negotiations for EPC and construction contracts. With a strong understanding of project management principles and construction budgets, and global supply chain dynamics the Category Manager drives sourcing excellence, mitigates commercial and execution risk, strengthens supplier and contractor relationships, and delivers measurable value across capital projects. Responsibilities: • The Category Manager oversees sourcing and contract management for construction services and materials supporting hyperscale data centre builds, including EPC contractors, general contractors, and specialized subcontractors across civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical scopes. • The role develops and executes contracting strategies, manages bid processes, evaluates contractor capabilities, and ensures alignment with project scope, schedule, and budget requirements. • A key focus is driving total cost of ownership while maintaining quality, safety, and delivery performance across all phases of construction. • Build and manage strategic relationships with EPC firms, general contractors, and key hyperscale infrastructure suppliers • Lead end-to-end commercial negotiations, including complex EPC, framework, and capacity reservation agreements • Develop and execute sourcing strategies that support multi-site, high-volume deployment models • Apply strong understanding of construction lifecycles, project controls, and capital budgeting in a hyperscale environment • Drive value through competitive sourcing, supplier innovation, and value engineering initiatives • Proactively manage supply chain risk, including long-lead equipment constraints and global capacity limitations • Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Design, Construction, and Operations to influence early-stage decisions • Lead supplier performance management and continuous improvement initiatives across global programs • Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory, and contractual requirements across all projects • Travel to project sites and supplier locations to support execution and oversight Qualifications: • Significant experience in Category Management, Strategic Sourcing, or Construction Procurement • Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Engineering, Construction Management, or related field (or equivalent experience) • Proven experience supporting large-scale, mission-critical construction projects, preferably hyperscale data centres or similar infrastructure • Strong experience with EPC contracting, commercial negotiations, and complex contract structures • Working knowledge of project management principles, construction budgeting, and cost controls • Experience sourcing long-lead electrical and mechanical equipment (e.g., transformers, switchgear, generators, cooling systems) Desired Qualifications: • Experience supporting hyperscale or high-growth, multi-site infrastructure deployment environments • Strong leadership and influencing skills across global, cross-functional teams • Ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels in fast-paced, high-demand environments • Deep understanding of global supply chain dynamics and contractor ecosystems • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and risk mitigation capabilities • Familiarity with sourcing tools, contract management systems, and construction procurement best practices • Willingness to travel up to ~20% to support global project needs Equal Opportunity Notice Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR@vaco.com . Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal. Representation Notice By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal. For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client. Privacy Notice Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies. • California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here. • Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here. • Residents of all other states may access our policies here. • Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here. • Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here. Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring. Pay Transparency Notice Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to: · the individual's skill sets, experience and training; · licensure and certification requirements; · office location and other geographic considerations; and · other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).