Supply Chain Engineer

DATA4'S MISSION

DATA4 creates Smart & Scalable digital facilities for our customers. Our network of highly connected, resilient and sustainable data center campuses underpins our customers’ digital growth in Europe.

 

DATA4 Group finances, designs, constructs and operates its own data centers. Delivered through our data center campus model, we provide our customers with secure, scalable and high-performance data hosting solutions.

 

DATA4 VALUES

At DATA4 we are driven by our values. These are the core of everything we do – from the proactivity we show in delivering great outcomes for our clients, to the responsibility we show as a key contributor to the digital economy. Our three values are:

1. To be entrepreneurial – we are teams of doers who make things happen - with autonomy, energy and a sense of responsibility
2. To always take responsibility – for our impact on the people we work with, the society we are part of, and the environment in which we operate
3. To constantly be adaptable – our business is designed to adapt, answering not only today’s challenges, but also anticipating what’s coming next.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Supply Chain Engineer is responsible for defining and governing the supply chain policy, stock levels, and procurement contracts for operational spare parts across the Group's data centers. The scope is limited to spare parts related to operations and maintenance and excludes construction. This role ensures parts availability, supplier resilience, cost optimization, and compliance with group standards, technical specifications, and ESG commitments.

 

The Supply Chain Engineer acts as the primary interface between Procurement, Engineering, Maintenance, and Operations, guaranteeing the alignment of spare-parts supply chain processes with CAPEX and OPEX objectives.

 

The scope of responsibilities includes:

• Definition and deployment of the spare-parts supply chain policy aligned with financial and operational objectives (CAPEX, OPEX, ESG, Risk Management).
• Establishment of standardized stock-level, replenishment, and procurement frameworks across all sites.
• Transition to framework contracts and implementation of a centralized spare-parts warehouse model.
• Development of risk, resilience, and ESG initiatives integrated into all procurement and logistics processes.
• Oversight of spare-parts vendor management, inventory control, and logistics operations.

 

The position reports directly to the Asset & Maintenance Governance Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Spare-Parts Supply Chain Policy

• Define and implement the 5-Year Supply Chain Strategy, ensuring alignment with group priorities on CAPEX, OPEX, ESG, and Risk.
• Analyse spare-parts spend from both a CAPEX and OPEX perspective (capital/insurance spares vs. consumable parts), supporting capitalization, budgeting, and total-cost decisions.
• Design the target operating model (Centralized–Hybrid–Local) and clarify governance and accountability across countries.
• Consolidate the map of critical spare-parts suppliers by category (Facility, Energy, Maintenance).

Standardization & Governance

• Establish a Group Supply Chain Framework, including policies, templates, vendor qualification models, and KPI/SLA structures.
• Harmonize contractual and procurement processes across countries, maintaining compliance with local regulations.
• Define a unified Spend Categorization Model and Procurement Matrix (Direct/Indirect, Strategic/Tactical).
• Ensure global traceability and digital visibility of all supply chain workflows.

Procurement Contracts & Centralized Spare-Parts Warehouse

• Lead the transition from local to framework contracts for operational spare-parts categories (e.g., spare parts for generators, UPS, HVAC, electrical switchgear, and diesel supply).
• Negotiate and implement Group Framework Agreements with Tier 1 suppliers to leverage economies of scale, unified standards, and risk mitigation.
• Design and deploy a Centralized and Automated European Spare Parts Warehouse, integrated with ERP/CMMS systems for real-time visibility and traceability.
• Define logistics flows and replenishment logic between the central hub and local data centers (“satellite warehouses”), based on asset criticality, obsolescence risk, and maintenance forecasts.
• Ensure warehouse operations contribute to resilience, continuity of service, and ESG performance (CO₂ reduction, minimized waste, optimized routes).

Risk & Resilience Management

• Develop and maintain a Supply Chain Risk Matrix addressing sourcing, logistics, and supplier dependency risks.
• Implement mitigation plans through multi-sourcing, safety stock, and supplier contingency frameworks.
• Monitor and anticipate geopolitical or logistical disruptions affecting data center supply chains.
• Coordinate with Group Risk and Operations teams to ensure continuity planning.

Sustainability & ESG Integration

• Integrate ESG and Scope 3 emission criteria into all supply chain and procurement processes.
• Promote sustainable sourcing, logistics optimization, and supplier decarbonization programs.
• Report progress through group sustainability dashboards and supplier ESG assessments.
• Drive supplier engagement toward measurable carbon footprint reduction.

Tactical & Operational Responsibilities

• Manage the global vendor portfolio: onboarding, auditing, evaluation, and requalification.
• Coordinate global and regional framework agreements, ensuring consistency and compliance.
• Supervise tendering processes for strategic categories using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis.
• Oversee logistics operations, customs, and inventory across all sites.
• Drive digitalization and automation of supply chain workflows via ERP, CMMS, SRM, and BI tools (SAP, Oracle, Power BI).
• Support Engineering and Maintenance teams with material availability, forecasting, and supplier responsiveness.

RESPONSIBILITES IN TERMS OF IMS CERTIFICATIONS

Respect and enforce certification policies in terms of:

• H&S: Respect and enforce health and safety rules.
• Environment: Respect and enforce environmental policies.
• Information security: Respect and enforce information security policies
• Energy: Respect and enforce the policy of reducing energy consumption.

REQUIREMENTS

Education and experience

• Master’s degree in engineering, Supply Chain, or Business Administration (or equivalent).
• Minimum 3 years of experience in procurement or supply chain management, ideally within critical infrastructure, manufacturing, or data centers.
• Strong understanding of contract law, sourcing strategies, TCO, and risk management.
• Experience with ERP/CMMS/SRM systems and BI tools (SAP, Oracle, Power BI).
• Fluent English (French, Italian, or Spanish considered a plus).

Technical skills

• Operational and tactical procurement expertise (direct & indirect categories).
• Knowledge of contract management and framework agreements.
• Strong analytical and negotiation capabilities.
• Knowledge of inventory, logistics, and supplier performance metrics.
• Understanding of ESG and sustainability principles in the supply chain.
• Ability to manage multinational vendor relationships and complex logistics networks.
• Proficiency in digital tools for spend analysis, forecasting, and performance tracking.

Behavioral skills

• Analytical thinking and structured planning.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Rigor, method, and organizational discipline.
• Adaptability to multicultural, fast-evolving environments.
• Capacity to translate spare-parts supply chain challenges into actionable plans.