Strategic Category Lead (51568)

Gradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.

Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.

Why work here

At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.

It is core to our identity that we operate as one team — driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.

Position Summary:

The Strategic Category Lead - Data Center Liquid Cooling is responsible for developing and executing category strategies for critical components supporting Gradian's growing liquid cooling business. This strategic individual contributor will build deep market and supplier knowledge, develop strategic supplier relationships, and drive long-term value across cost, quality, technology, capacity, and supply chain resiliency. The role will partner closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance to align category and supplier strategies with business objectives, product roadmaps, and long-term growth requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for assigned data center liquid cooling components that align with business objectives and support long-term growth.

• Build market intelligence across supplier capabilities, technology trends, manufacturing processes, capacity, cost drivers, and supply chain risks.

• Develop and manage the strategic supplier landscape, including supplier segmentation, sourcing strategies, supplier selection, and long-term supplier relationships.

• Lead supplier negotiations and commercial strategies to optimize total cost of ownership, capacity, lead times, commercial terms, and supply continuity.

• Partner with Engineering and Product Development to influence product cost, manufacturability, sourcing decisions, and supplier selection early in the product lifecycle.

• Develop and execute cost reduction and value creation roadmaps through VAVE, competitive sourcing, localization, supplier development, and other total-cost initiatives.

• Identify and mitigate category and supplier risks, including capacity constraints, single-source exposure, geographic concentration, long lead times, and business continuity.

• Establish supplier performance expectations and drive continuous improvement across quality, cost, delivery, technology, capacity, and responsiveness.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Operations, or a related field.

• 3+ years of experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Category Management, Supplier Management, Operations, or a related discipline.

• Experience developing and executing category strategies and managing strategic supplier relationships.

• Experience sourcing engineered components or complex manufactured products. Experience within data center infrastructure, liquid cooling, HVAC, thermal management, industrial equipment, electronics, or fluid-handling applications is preferred.

• Demonstrated experience leading supplier selection, negotiations, commercial agreements, and cost-reduction initiatives.

Skills

• Strong strategic thinking and category management capabilities.

• Strong commercial negotiation and total cost management skills.

• Ability to analyze market dynamics, supplier capabilities, manufacturing processes, and product cost drivers.

• Ability to work effectively with Engineering and other cross-functional teams to influence sourcing and supplier decisions.

• Strong analytical, fact-based problem-solving and decision-making skills.

• Strong project management, communication, and relationship-management skills.

• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with strategic suppliers and internal stakeholders.

• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing business requirements and thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Benefits:

• Medical, vision, and dental plans
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Group term life insurance coverage
• HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care plans available
• 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and generous PTO policy
• 401k matching
• Annual safety shoe allowance
• Education assistance program

EEO Statement:

Gradian is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other legally protected status.

Employment decisions at Gradian are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and actively promote a culture of fairness, equity, and opportunity.

We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances, in accordance with applicable laws.