Principal Product Manager

Principal Product Manager For Data Center Infrastructure Products

Tract Capital adopts a unique approach to digital infrastructure investment. Leveraging experience and strategic insights honed over three decades of creating successful companies in the space, we excel in nurturing and advancing leading-edge digital infrastructure enterprises. Our team of specialized experts are united by a singular purpose: to support the growth of digital infrastructure. Tract Capital goes beyond simple investment by acting as a strategic partner and catalyst for innovation within the sector. We ensure our engagements not only generate strong financial results but also develop essential digital infrastructure to meet growing demands. Tract Capital has introduced multiple digital infrastructure strategies, including horizontal powered land, vertical development, and product development.

Position Overview:

The Principal Product Manager for data center infrastructure products partners closely with the Product Engineering team to define the infrastructure strategy, then owns the development of products and processes to achieve this strategy. The Principal Product Manager owns the execution of the new product development process, ensuring products are manufactured efficiently and effectively by external providers to the design intent. They collaborate closely with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to formalize the required support mechanisms enabling solutions to be deployed and scaled. The Principal Product Manager partners with engineering teams to ensure the product solutions achieve the design intent while evaluating tradeoffs to achieve cost targets and timelines. Additionally, they coordinate closely with customer-facing associates to ensure customer requirements are being incorporated into products and delivery schedules.

The Principal Product Manager will advise on product roadmaps and market requirements and will be focused on transitioning engineered products and prototypes to volume production. Collaboration with product engineers, project engineers, project managers, procurement professionals, compliance agents, commissioning agents, and manufacturers are all required for successful production management and coordination.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with Product Engineering teams to define requirements, develop product strategies, and own product roadmaps

Supplier Management:

• Manage relationships with manufacturers, ensuring they understand the product requirements, expectations and timelines, as well as effectively communicate and action manufacturers' requirements to internal resources

Project Management:

• Oversee the product development process, including timelines, budgets, and resources

Technical knowledge:

• Familiarity with mechanical, electrical and structural products within a data center or mission critical facility
• Possess expertise in manufacturing processes and quality control systems
• Work history with manufacturing test and script development, as well as project lifecycle and commissioning management

Collaboration:

• Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., engineering, project management, construction, commissioning, procurement, and financing) and external suppliers to ensure smooth product development and delivery

Code / Compliance:

• Liaise with external legal and compliance teams to interpret and implement regulatory requirements at a site level
• Work with partners to ensure packaging, labeling, and documentation meet regulatory and market requirements

Contract Management Engagement / Oversight:

• Lead and manage early product design stages, defining the end-to-end transition of products from engineering prototypes to scaled production
• Define and manage product actions to deliver quality, cost, and timeline targets
• Team up with partners to define and implement manufacturing strategies that align with product requirements and mutual business goals

Planning:

• Open partnership in driving and managing supply chain alternatives for production materials, components, and finished goods
• Collaborate with external partners for production planning that aligns with demand forecasts, quality standards, delivery timelines, and inventory targets
• Align production and delivery timelines with go-to-market strategies and commercial launch plans to ensure seamless product deployment

Quality / Test:

• Work in partnership to develop and provide clear Quality Testing Criteria for factory and on-site equipment and product testing within systems
• Co-development of testing requirements and mechanisms with external partners for functional compliance to drive seamless execution
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for test failures during New Product Introduction (NPI) stage

Communication:

• Support partners in new product introductions by aligning product capabilities with design requirements
• Act as the central point of contact to facilitate clear communication between engineering, manufacturing, quality, logistics, and commercial teams to identify and mitigate risks across the product lifecycle
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable strategies for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Delivering written and verbal presentations to internal leadership teams
• Interfacing with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders

Documentation:

• Collaborate to define Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for material handling, product production, shipping, and deployment

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, structural engineering or a related field
• 10+ years of experience in product management, with at least 5 years focused on data center design and/or operations
• 10+ years of driving product roadmaps and requirements documents to exceed strategic goals
• Proven history of delivering products for large-scale data center projects, including experience with HVAC, cooling, electrical or structural systems
• Familiarity with design software (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, CFD, etc.)
• Expertise in sustainability, energy efficiency, and cost-saving measures related to data center mechanical systems
• Communication: Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable strategies for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Stakeholder Management: Strong ability to influence and manage key stakeholders across engineering, product, and operations teams
• Analytical Skills: Demonstrated success in analyzing program data, defining KPIs, and reporting on success metrics

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge and experience driving product development for new and emerging technologies in data centers such as liquid cooling or DC electrical architecture
• Experience working in global data center projects, navigating region-specific regulations and environmental conditions
• Hyperscaler: Familiarity with cloud providers' data center requirements (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, and Meta)
• Global Experience: Experience leading product launches in global markets, including knowledge of international land, energy, and/or data center regulations and compliance
• Technical Background: A strong technical understanding of cloud services and infrastructure products and systems
• Vendor Management: Experience managing third-party vendors or contractors in the data center product, construction, and/or engineering launch lifecycle

Key Competencies:

• Integrity and Ethical Standards: Build trust, ensure fairness, and foster long-term, transparent relationships with suppliers
• Effective Communication: The ability to clearly convey expectations and requirements to suppliers and negotiation parties, while understanding their needs and concerns. Comfortable delivering written and verbal presentations to internal leadership teams
• Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Ability to understand the emotions, cultural nuances, and motivations of others, while effectively managing one's own emotions during high-pressure negotiations
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think big picture while also managing granular details
• Adaptability: Proven track record of managing change and ambiguity in a fast-paced environment
• Leadership: Ability to manage cross-functional teams and external vendors
• Experience with complex, multi-site projects: Manage multiple projects under tight deadlines and deliver exceptional results
• Excellent communication and presentation skills: Capable of interfacing with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders
• Creative problem-solver: Ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance effectively
• Team Building: Ability to lead and develop a diverse, cross-functional team in high-pressure environments

Working Conditions:

• This role requires occasional travel to data center sites and vendor/partner across multiple regions (up to 40% travel)
• Ability to work in both office environments manufacturing facilities, and active construction sites, adhering to all safety protocols

Location: Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Alexandria, VA; Austin, TX. Will also consider well qualified remote candidates.

Expected Salary Range: $300,000 -