Head of Data Center Procurement

About the roleOur client operates a hardware supply chain spanning Taiwan, Japan, the US and Europe, alongside an accelerating data centre buildout. Compute and data centre equipment represent the largest capital expenditure levers within the business.The Head of Procurement, EMEA will own procurement across the region, with a primary focus on Europe. This includes the annual data centre and hardware CapEx portfolio, the European vendor ecosystem and the major commercial negotiations supporting regional expansion.Europe is the business’s home market and most active construction region. Procurement schedules directly influence site delivery and go-live dates, making this role central to execution.The team is partly established, with procurement specialists in London and Helsinki and the Finland Team Lead already in place. Hiring the UK Team Lead will be an immediate priority. You will consolidate a team that has grown organically into a regional function with clear ownership, processes and governance.Key responsibilitiesCapEx ownership and financial controlOwn and govern the annual CapEx budget for data centres and hardware across EMEA.Ensure accurate forecasting, tracking and reporting of annual expenditure in partnership with Finance.Align CapEx planning with Finance, Construction, IT and Operations across multiple countries and legal entities.Vendor, logistics and partnership managementDefine and manage the European vendor strategy, procurement frameworks and preferred supplier lists.Own strategic agreements with OEMs, contractors, equipment vendors and logistics partners.Build long-term partnerships focused on reliability, innovation and cost efficiency.Major negotiations and investmentsLead negotiations for major data centre and hardware investments, including long-term and volume-based agreements.Approve commercial terms, risk allocation and pricing models within regional authority.Escalate commitments with global implications to the VP of Procurement.Cost optimisation and value creationDeliver year-on-year cost optimisation across total EMEA expenditure.Drive savings through strategic sourcing, consolidated purchasing volumes and contract optimisation.Establish KPIs and governance to sustain cost efficiency over time.Delivery alignment and team leadershipAlign procurement schedules with construction, commissioning and go-live milestones across EMEA sites.Take ownership of equipment lead-time risks before they affect operational delivery.Lead and grow the EMEA procurement organisation, including the UK and Finland Team Leads and their specialist teams.Prioritise the recruitment of the UK Team Lead.Feed regional market intelligence into the global procurement strategy, including pricing, availability, lead times and the supply of equipment supporting power infrastructure.What success looks like in the first yearA consolidated European procurement team, with both country leads in place and clear areas of accountability.Long-lead equipment and hardware sourced on time and within budget, aligned with European site go-live milestones.Framework agreements established with core European vendors, replacing ad hoc purchasing across individual countries.Measurable year-on-year savings against a baseline established during the first quarter.Accurate, trusted CapEx forecasting that Finance and the COO’s office can use for planning.Essential experience and requirementsAt least 10 years of experience in procurement, supply chain or commercial leadership within data centres, IT hardware, critical infrastructure or a comparable mission-critical environment.Demonstrated ownership of large-scale CapEx portfolios, ideally covering data centres, IT hardware or critical infrastructure.A track record of leading major commercial negotiations for large-scale investments, including long-term and volume-based agreements.An established European network of vendors, OEMs and contractors.Strong knowledge of international logistics, EU and UK customs and import requirements, Incoterms and supply chain risk.Experience managing procurement across multiple countries and legal entities.Proven ability to build and lead procurement teams within a high-growth environment.The ability to review commercial contracts and assess contractual exposure, including terms, service-level agreements, liability and price escalation.Mandarin language capability to work directly with Asian manufacturing operations and the ODM/OEM partners supplying the European buildout.A commercial leadership profile, with ownership of procurement decisions, negotiations and outcomes.Desirable experience and qualificationsA master’s degree, such as an MBA or MSc, in Supply Chain, Finance or Strategy.Professional certification such as CPSM, CIPS, CSCP or equivalent. Contract and commercial management certifications would also be advantageous.Direct experience sourcing GPUs or server hardware.Additional European languages, particularly German.Experience scaling procurement within a fast-growing startup with an evolving organisational structure.Ways of workingThis is a high-intensity environment with a strong emphasis on ownership and delivery. Leaders are expected to set the pace and execution standards for their teams.The role involves long hours during critical ramp-up periods, with outcomes prioritised over fixed schedules. Significant travel is required to sites, vendors and manufacturing partners across Europe and Asia.Although Europe-based, the position is not office-bound. You will be expected to work wherever the business requires, making this an opportunity for someone comfortable with demanding delivery schedules, frequent travel and substantial commercial responsibility.What the opportunity offersOwnership of the annual EMEA data centre and hardware CapEx portfolio, with authority to define regional sourcing strategy and vendor frameworks.The opportunity to consolidate and scale a regional procurement function in the business’s most active construction market.Leadership of major commercial negotiations and the ability to shape the European preferred supplier ecosystem.A long-term role supporting a multi-year data centre expansion and hardware refresh programme, with responsibilities growing alongside the business.Equity participation and the opportunity to establish procurement governance and cost discipline across the region.