Director of Procurement

As a member of the company’s Finance team, the Director of Procurement will be responsible for managing a team of individuals and overseeing all procurement functions associated with CoreSite’s data center business, including strategic sourcing, vendor management, systems and process optimization, contract negotiations, and contract lifecycle management. Additionally, the Director of Procurement will assist CoreSite’s Construction team, Treasury team, Facility Managers, Accounts Payable, and Accounting with processing paperwork for third-party vendors and construction contractors.

Duties:

• Responsible for purchasing the following categories of items: data-center infrastructure equipment; technical equipment; building maintenance equipment & services; construction equipment & services; office furniture supplies & equipment.
• Drive the evolution of the Purchasing department, including formulating and implementing procurement strategies, policies, and procedures.
• Manage the Contract Administrator role which reviews all purchase requests to ensure they are reasonable, have a legitimate business purpose, and the request has proper authorization.
• Interface and communicate with executive management and department heads on matters including but not limited to purchasing decisions, equipment lead times, and inventory status.
• Work with Construction and other departments during the service, equipment, and construction bidding processes, assembling the packages, reviewing the bids, creating a bid analysis, and selecting the awarded parties.
• Develop tools, processes, and contract relationships to ensure value and add simplicity to the high-frequency components of the business, including but not limited to circuit installations, cage deployments, and rack installations.
• Conduct negotiations with suppliers as necessary, including preparing and approving agreements, purchase orders, or other contractual documents.
• Conduct research and analyses to anticipate supply problems, commodity price changes, and initiate preventative actions.
• Review historic pricing and collect projected spending data to aid in pricing and negotiation discussions.
• Provide procurement approach guidance and lead competitive and negotiated pricing discussions.
• Manage Master Contract Agreements with preferred vendors to make the contract process more efficient and obtain competitive pricing terms & conditions. Work with the Legal department, Facilities and Construction to cultivate these agreements.
• Oversee all Contract Administration duties, including but not limited to:
• Reviewing and implementing the Company’s lien waiver policy.
• Verifying all Certificate of Insurance (“COI”) documents.
• Identifying problems, troubleshooting, and providing advice to assist CoreSite Managers to ensure timeliness in contractor payments and equipment procurement.
• Facilitate and manage all vendor request forms.
• Promote and demonstrate the behaviors consistent with CoreSite’s culture and Guiding Principles.
• Special projects as assigned.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Advanced computer skills and proficiency with MS Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to multitask with detail retention.
• Experienced in administering RFP, RFQ, and construction bids.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to effectively work cross functionally.
• Experience working with or implementing the procurement/accounts payable modules of JD Edwards or other similar ERP systems (PeopleSoft, SAP etc.).
• Exhibits a strong work ethic and accountability to meet deadlines.
• Understanding of general procurement, construction procurement, purchase order process, international purchasing, LEED qualifications, vendor maintenance, etc.
• Accomplished negotiator of pricing and general contract structure.
• Analytical thinker, capable of digesting data to determine commonality, trends, and outliers.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

 Education/Experience

• 7+ years prior experience in Procurement as a Director, Manager, Buyer and/or Contract Administrator.
• 5+ years of experience in construction project management, vendor management and contract administration.
• Data Center experience preferred.
• Prefer ISM Certified Purchasing Manager.
• Bachelor’s degree in related field.

 Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be m