Category Manager - Network Cabling

Overview

Role focus: This role focuses on the sourcing, contracting, and supplier management of structured cabling and physical network infrastructure within Microsoft's data center environment. The successful candidate will combine technical expertise in network cabling with experience in supplier, project, program, commercial, or contract management. In addition to leading the network cabling category, the role supports selected data center infrastructure, maintenance, operational, and service contract categories.

Although network cabling procurement is the core focus, the role will also manage other data centre contract categories, including selected IT, mechanical, electrical, maintenance, upgrade and operational service agreements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing for network cabling, including technical specification review, supplier identification and qualification, tendering, commercial evaluation, negotiation and contracting for both cabling materials and installation labour.
• Partner with engineering, design, construction and data centre operations teams to translate technical requirements into clear scopes of work, bills of materials, installation standards, acceptance criteria and supplier obligations.
• Evaluate cabling contractors and manufacturers on technical capability, installation quality, safety, capacity, delivery performance, commercial value and compliance with applicable standards.
• Manage network cabling contracts through delivery, including changes, risks, milestones, service levels, claims, cost controls and performance improvement.
• Build strategic relationships with cabling manufacturers, distributors and installation partners, using KPIs and scorecards to improve quality, availability, cost and delivery.
• Bring Ability to apply technical expertise to sourcing and contracting decisions to sourcing decisions, challenge specifications and supplier proposals constructively, and identify practical alternatives without compromising operational reliability.
• Manage the financial and commercial aspects of contracts, including purchase orders, invoices, forecasts, benchmarking and cost-saving opportunities.
• Prepare quarterly spend, supplier-performance and contract-management reviews for data centre stakeholders.
• Support the tracking and commercial management of data centre maintenance, repair, upgrade and project activities.
• Apply prior project-management or account-management experience to coordinate stakeholders, manage suppliers and drive work from scope definition through contract execution and delivery.
• Identify and implement efficiency opportunities across technical systems, operational workflows and resource deployment to improve performance, reduce costs and support scalable data centre operations.
• Capture local subject-matter expertise and promote consistent adoption of network cabling and contracting best practices.
• Contribute to improvements in Operations and Service Level Agreement processes, services and solutions for CO+I.
• Coordinate closely with data centre field operations and cross-functional teams to maintain alignment and support successful delivery.

Capabilities Important to Success

• Network cabling expertise: Strong knowledge of structured cabling system of structured cabling systems, components, installation methods, testing, commissioning, quality requirements and the supplier landscape.
• Technical-to-commercial capability: Ability to convert engineering and delivery requirements into procurement strategies, scopes, tender documents, evaluation criteria and contracts.
• Project or account leadership: Demonstrated experience managing complex customer, supplier or project outcomes, with strong ownership of scope, schedule, cost, risk and stakeholder expectations.
• Commercial judgement: Ability to compare labour rates, material pricing, productivity assumptions, supplier capacity and total cost while protecting technical quality and operational outcomes.
• Stakeholder influence: Communicate credibly with technical specialists, suppliers, senior managers and operational leaders, including influencing without formal authority.
• Flexibility and adaptability: Anticipate change, manage ambiguity and adjust plans, priorities and sourcing approaches as technical or operational requirements evolve.
• Team contribution: Contribute technical insight and constructive challenge, then support agreed decisions and shared delivery outcomes.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Experience in network cabling, telecommunications, physical IT infrastructure, or related technical environments.
• Experience managing suppliers, contracts, projects, programs, or customer engagements.
• Experience supporting sourcing, procurement, contract management, vendor management, or commercial activities.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications and translate them into supplier requirements and scopes of work.
• Relevant degree, technical diploma, trade certification, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated 2years of experience working with critical environment infrastructure such as UPS systems, generators, air handling units, structured cabling, servers, networking equipment, and data center capacity management.
• We recognize that candidates may develop relevant skills through a variety of professional, technical, military, apprenticeship, or educational experiences. We encourage applicants who meet many, but not all, qualifications to apply
• Bachelor's degree, technical diploma, trade certification, or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Relevant industry certifications such as PMP, ITIL, BICSI, CompTIA Network+, Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP), Microsoft certifications, or equivalent credentials are preferred.
• 2+ years experience with critical environment maintenance and repair cost management
• 2+ years experience with industry program and project management skills
• Experience supporting data center construction, commissioning, expansion, maintenance, or operational projects
• 2years of Experience using collaboration and productivity platforms such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.
• Experience using reporting and data analysis tools such as Power BI, Excel, or similar analytical platforms
• This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.