Global Sourcing Director - Storage Racks

About us

Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute.

It is developing hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and power the widespread adoption of AI solutions across every industry.

As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. Together, they share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone.

Graphcore’s teams are drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring a broad range of skills and perspectives. A melting pot of AI research specialists, silicon designers, software engineers and systems architects, Graphcore enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Global Sourcing Director – Storage Racks to define and lead the strategic sourcing and supplier management strategy for storage rack manufacturing partners supporting Graphcore’s AI infrastructure platforms.

This leadership role partners closely with Engineering, Product, Operations, and Executive Leadership to secure best-in-class supplier performance across cost, quality, scalability, delivery, and innovation. The successful candidate will develop long-term sourcing strategies, strengthen supplier partnerships, and ensure a resilient and scalable supply base capable of supporting global infrastructure deployment and growth. This role is adapted from the Global Sourcing Director sourcing leadership model while focusing specifically on storage rack solutions and manufacturing ecosystems.

The Team

The Global Sourcing Management (GSM) team defines and executes supplier strategies across Graphcore’s hardware and infrastructure ecosystem.

The team works closely with engineering, product management, operations, manufacturing, and supply chain functions to establish strategic supplier partnerships that support technology development, infrastructure deployment, operational excellence, and long-term business growth.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Own the end-to-end global sourcing strategy for storage rack suppliers supporting Graphcore’s AI infrastructure platforms.
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing sourcing team focused on supplier management, commercial negotiations, and strategic supplier development.
• Develop and execute multi-year commodity and supplier strategies aligned with product roadmaps, infrastructure expansion plans, and business objectives.
• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and contracting activities for storage rack manufacturing partners and related supply chain providers.
• Negotiate complex commercial agreements, capacity commitments, pricing frameworks, and long-term strategic partnerships.
• Partner closely with Engineering and Product teams to influence design decisions that improve supply chain resilience, manufacturability, cost efficiency, and scalability.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive cost models and total cost of ownership analyses to support sourcing decisions and commercial negotiations.
• Drive supplier performance management through business reviews, scorecards, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure supply continuity through proactive capacity planning, risk assessment, business continuity planning, and dual-sourcing strategies where appropriate.
• Monitor industry trends, market dynamics, raw material availability, and supplier capabilities to inform sourcing strategy and business planning.
• Collaborate with Finance, Legal, Quality, and Operations teams to ensure supplier agreements and sourcing activities support business objectives and compliance requirements.
• Influence supplier technology and manufacturing roadmaps to support future infrastructure requirements and evolving product needs.

Candidate Profile

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Business, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, procurement, or supply chain leadership within complex technology or infrastructure environments.
• Experience developing and executing global sourcing strategies for mechanical, industrial, infrastructure, or engineered hardware products.
• Proven success negotiating strategic supplier agreements and managing executive-level supplier relationships.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including cost modelling, pricing analysis, and total cost of ownership methodologies.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing sourcing, procurement, or supply chain teams.
• Strong understanding of supplier performance management, risk mitigation, capacity planning, and supply continuity practices.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Ability to influence decisions across technical, operational, and commercial functions.

Desirable

• Experience sourcing storage racks, datacenter infrastructure equipment, mechanical assemblies, fabricated metal products, or related hardware solutions.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes including metal fabrication, welding, sheet metal production, finishing, and systems integration.
• Experience supporting large-scale datacenter, cloud infrastructure, AI infrastructure, or high-performance computing environments.
• Familiarity with global supplier ecosystems across North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Experience implementing supplier development and continuous improvement programs.
• Understanding of sustainability, resiliency, and responsible sourcing practices within industrial supply chains.