Sr Procurement Manager (MEP) (Data Center)

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact

Our Global Data Center business - reinforces our drive to improve the lives of people everywhere and epitomizes the "why" of what we do - the tremendous positive impact and value our solutions bring to our communities and society. From facilities delivering life-saving therapies and ensuring clean water to enabling the connection of people through all modes of transportation and providing access to technology - we're integrating a multitude of these solution elements to build the smart environments of tomorrow.
We're looking to hire 2 Senior Procurement Managers to support MEP Data Center Construction at our projects in Saint Francisville, LA and Corpus Christi, TX. This person should be comfortable moving between drawings, specifications, estimates, bid packages, contracts, schedules, change orders, cost reports, and vendor conversations in the same day.
Key Responsibilities

Procurement & Subcontracting

Develop and execute procurement strategies for major construction trade packages and equipment.
Personally prepare and issue subcontractor RFPs and equipment RFQs.
Identify, source, and qualify contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers.
Manage bidder communications, RFIs, clarifications, addenda, site walks, and bid deadlines.
Review proposals for scope completeness, exclusions, qualifications, schedule commitments, and commercial exceptions.
Build and maintain commercial bid analyses and award recommendations.
Check proposal math, labor rates, quantities, unit rates, markups, escalation, allowances, and other pricing assumptions.
Lead commercial negotiations with subcontractors and suppliers.
Draft and negotiate purchase orders, subcontracts, exhibits, and commercial terms.
Drive packages from initial strategy through executed contract/PO and handoff to the project team.
Commercial & Cost Management

Read and understand contracts rather than relying solely on summaries or direction from others.
Review contractor and subcontractor change orders in detail, including supporting labor, material, equipment, indirect cost, and general-condition backup.
Reconcile pricing against contractual rates, original estimates, bid assumptions, quantities, and actual field conditions.
Identify duplicate charges, unsupported costs, scope gaps, incorrect rates, excessive hours, and other commercial discrepancies.
Validate pay applications and supporting documentation where required.
Track committed cost, forecast exposure, contingency, allowances, and pending changes.
Develop defensible commercial positions and negotiate resolution of disputed costs.
Maintain clear documentation supporting negotiations, awards, changes, and commercial decisions.
Construction & Technical Coordination

Develop a working understanding of the technical scope being procured rather than treating procurement as an administrative function.
Review drawings, specifications, scopes of work, equipment requirements, and construction sequencing.
Work directly with engineering, preconstruction, estimating, project management, field operations, scheduling, and commercial teams.
Identify mismatches between drawings, specifications, estimates, proposals, contracts, and actual project requirements.
Understand how procurement decisions affect construction schedule, installation sequencing, logistics, commissioning, and overall project risk.
Escalate unresolved scope gaps before award rather than allowing ambiguity to become a future change order.
Problem Solving & Project Execution

Independently investigate complex commercial or procurement issues and determine the underlying cause.
Turn incomplete or conflicting information into a clear recommendation and path forward.
Quantify financial exposure rather than simply identifying that a problem exists.
Develop practical solutions that can be implemented quickly in an active construction environment.
Build or improve trackers, workflows, controls, and processes when existing systems are inadequate.
Follow issues through resolution rather than simply identifying or escalating them.
Operate effectively in an environment where priorities can change quickly and complete information may not initially be available.
The ideal candidate has approximately 7-12 years of progressive construction experience, with significant exposure to MEP procurement, subcontracting, preconstruction, project management, or commercial management.

Here's what you'll need

Approximately 7-12 years of experience in construction, procurement, preconstruction, project management, commercial management, MEP, or supply chain.
Experience with a general contractor, electrical/mechanical contractor, major specialty subcontractor, owner/developer, or construction procurement organization.
Strong preference for candidates with experience on data centers, advanced manufacturing, industrial, life sciences, healthcare, or other technically complex projects.
Significant experience procuring MEP trades and/or major electrical and mechanical equipment is strongly preferred.
Experience administering lump-sum, unit-rate, T&M, and/or GMP commercial structures.
Demonstrated experience reviewing change orders and detailed cost backup.
Strong understanding of construction contracts and commercial terms.
Comfortable working with large dollar values and high-volume procurement activity.
Advanced Excel skills required.
Ideally, you'll have

Experience with platforms such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, BuildingConnected, Procore, Primavera P6, or comparable construction systems preferred.
What We Are Specifically Looking For

The Successful Candidate Is Someone Who

Gets into the details. They will open the backup, check the math, trace the quantity, verify the contractual rate, and determine whether the number makes sense.
Understands construction. They can have credible conversations with estimators, engineers, project managers, superintendents, subcontractors, and suppliers.
Thinks commercially. They understand that scope, schedule, contract language, and dollars are interconnected.
Is comfortable challenging information. A contractor's proposal, an estimate, or an established process is not automatically correct because someone else prepared it.
Can operate independently. They do not require a detailed procedure for every situation before beginning the work.
Moves quickly without becoming careless. Data center construction requires both speed and commercial discipline.
Owns problems through resolution. Identifying an issue is the beginning of the assignment, not the end.
Can build structure from ambiguity. When information is incomplete or a process is broken, they organize it, investigate it, and create a workable path forward.
What This Role Is Not

This is not a role for someone whose experience has primarily consisted of issuing purchase orders, maintaining procurement logs, expediting vendor updates, or routing documents for approval.
It is also not intended for someone who has moved so far into leadership that they no longer personally perform detailed commercial analysis.
We are looking for a high-output individual contributor who can independently own significant procurement and commercial workstreams while remaining deeply involved in the underlying details.
Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.
The base salary range for this position is $147,100.00 to $202,300.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
Onsite employees are expected to attend a Jacobs Workplace on a full-time basis, as required by the nature of their role.

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