Program Manager - Data Center (8-13yrs)

Role Summary

The Program Manager for Data Center is responsible for leading and managing the end-to-end procurement and asset management process for infrastructure and engineering operations. This critical role oversees the entire lifecycle of IT assets and software licenses (from procurement, logistics, asset control, liquidation, and renewals).

The successful candidate will ensure all procurement, logistical, and asset control processes adhere to company standards, maintain excellent relationships with key vendors and internal stakeholders (SRE, Finance, Legal, SiteOps), and drive automation and optimization for procurement operational efficiency.

 Key Responsibilities

1. Procurement Lifecycle & Operations Management

• Lead and manage the daily operations of the procurement team.

• Oversee the generation and tracking of all high-level procurement initiation documents, including PSRs and managing the creation, approval, and renewal process for Purchase Requisitions (PRs) and Purchase Orders (POs) for all data center hardware, infrastructure, and software licenses.

• Manage the complete lifecycle of procurement requests (PR/PO/PSR/PO renewals) and monitor procurement SLAs, proactively escalating delays.

• Ensure accurate documentation and cost center allocation for all purchases.

• Coordinate with vendors for quotations, negotiations, order tracking, and delivery timelines.

• Maintain up-to-date vendor catalogues, BOMs (Bills of Material), and pricing databases.

• Implement automation/optimizations in procurement workflows for efficiency.

2. Asset and License Management

• Establish and maintain a robust system for tracking physical DC assets (servers, networking, storage).

• Proactively manage and execute the renewal process for physical asset warranties and maintenance agreements, minimizing service disruption risks.

• Oversee the management and timely renewal of all data center software licenses.

• Maintain an accurate, real-time inventory of all licensed assets and renewal dates.

• To ensure timely renewal must work with business, business Finance and Procurement. 

• Track warranty and PO expirations and ensure timely renewals 

• Maintaining the data for assets is matching with the tools. 

3. Vendor, Logistics, and Site Coordination

• Collaborate closely with vendors to manage timelines and ensure timely and accurate delivery of all purchased equipment and licenses.

• Coordinate complex logistics for equipment delivery into the data center, including managing site access/availability, Gate Passes for asset movement, and working with the SiteOps team to ensure timely movement of items in the DC.

• To work with internal and external teams to ensure expected deliveries are communicated in a timely manner and communicate the ETAS of the same to the requesting party. 

• To keep a check on current data centre capacity and accordingly place orders post approvals from the Head of Engineering. 

• Manage the end-of-life process for physical assets, overseeing liquidation in compliance with corporate security and environmental policies.

• Monitor vendor performance aimed at reducing escalations due to vendor delays

4. Governance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to internal procurement policies and external audit requirements.

• Maintain structured documentation for all procurement transactions (for compliance and audit readiness).

• Support Finance in accruals, invoice reconciliations, and open PO reviews. Get a forecast of accruals and act proactively to mitigate the same. 

• Coordinate with Audit and Compliance teams for procurement evidence submission.

• Target 100% audit-readiness for all procurement transactions.

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering, SRE, Finance, and Legal teams for the timely closure of procurement requests.

• Act as a SPOC (Single Point of Contact) between internal stakeholders and vendors for procurement escalations.

• Regularly sync with leadership to review procurement status, upcoming purchases, vendor performance, and risks.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in procurement, asset management, or supply chain, preferably within a large-scale data center or IT environment.

• Proven experience managing the entire process of PSRs, PRs, and POs.

• Strong knowledge of procurement processes, vendor lifecycle management, and PO renewals.

• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.

• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities with attention to detail.

• Proficiency with procurement systems, spreadsheets, and reporting tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience managing complex logistics and inventory systems.

• Team management experience.

• Good understanding of infra procurement (servers, storage, licenses, DC services, cloud) is preferred.