Buyer - Senior

Project Buyer – Data Centre Construction

Location: Kentucky
Project: Data Centre Construction

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Project Buyer to support the delivery of a major data centre construction project.

The Project Buyer will be responsible for managing procurement activities across key construction packages, equipment and materials, ensuring packages are competitively tendered, commercially evaluated and placed in line with the project programme and budget.

The successful candidate will work closely with Project Managers, Cost Managers, Engineering teams, contractors and suppliers, providing procurement support throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage procurement activities for construction packages, equipment and materials associated with the data centre project.
• Develop and maintain procurement schedules aligned with the overall construction programme.
• Prepare and issue RFQs, RFPs and tender packages to contractors and suppliers.
• Manage tender processes, including bidder engagement, clarifications and commercial evaluations.
• Analyse quotations and prepare bid comparisons and procurement recommendations.
• Support commercial negotiations covering pricing, contractual terms, lead times and delivery conditions.
• Coordinate with engineering and project teams to ensure technical and commercial requirements are aligned before orders are placed.
• Identify long-lead equipment and procurement risks that could impact the project schedule.
• Monitor supplier and contractor performance throughout the procurement and delivery process.
• Track purchase orders, manufacturing schedules and delivery dates.
• Support procurement of key data centre packages such as electrical equipment, mechanical equipment, generators, UPS systems, switchgear, transformers, cooling equipment and associated construction packages.
• Maintain procurement trackers, tender documentation and commercial records.
• Work closely with cost management teams to ensure procurement activities remain aligned with project budgets.
• Provide regular procurement updates and identify potential cost, programme or supply-chain risks.

Experience Required

• Previous experience as a Project Buyer, Construction Buyer, Procurement Specialist or Procurement Manager within major construction or engineering projects.
• Previous experience supporting data centre or mission-critical construction projects is highly desirable.
• Experience procuring complex MEP and mission-critical equipment would be particularly advantageous.
• Experience within environments such as data centres, semiconductor facilities, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceutical facilities, hospitals, energy projects or other technically complex/mission-critical developments would be considered relevant.
• Strong understanding of construction procurement, tendering and supplier evaluation processes.
• Experience preparing and issuing RFQs/RFPs, managing tender clarifications and producing commercial bid evaluations.
• Demonstrable experience negotiating with contractors, OEMs, manufacturers and specialist equipment suppliers.
• Experience managing long-lead equipment where manufacturing and delivery dates are critical to the construction schedule.
• Understanding of key data centre electrical and mechanical infrastructure, ideally including switchgear, transformers, UPS, generators, cooling systems and associated MEP equipment.
• Ability to understand the relationship between procurement, engineering, construction sequencing and project schedule.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary engineering, project management, cost management and commercial teams.
• Understanding of construction contracts, purchase orders, commercial terms and procurement documentation.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple procurement packages simultaneously.
• Strong communication skills and confidence dealing directly with contractors, vendors, OEMs, project stakeholders and client teams.
• Ability to operate effectively within a high-paced mission-critical construction environment where programme and equipment delivery dates are key project drivers.

Preferred Background

Candidates coming from a data centre, mission-critical, EPC/EPCM, construction consultancy or major contractor environment will be particularly well suited to the position.

We would be particularly interested in candidates who have previously supported the procurement and delivery of critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure on large-scale construction programmes.

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Pay: $60.00 - $75.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 – 60.0 per week

Work Location: In person