Freelance OFCI Procurement Manager - Data Centres

Day Rate: Up to £550 per day (Outside IR35)

Contract Length: 6 months (with potential extensions)

Location: EU-based (flexible, with travel across Europe)

Role Overview

An experienced OFCI (Owner-Furnished Contractor-Installed) Procurement Manager is required to support major data centre and mission-critical infrastructure programmes across Europe.

This role will lead the end-to-end procurement lifecycle for long-lead and core equipment under OFCI delivery models, including strategy development, tender management, negotiations, and supplier performance oversight.

Ideal for a commercially strong, self-sufficient procurement professional with deep experience in complex capital projects and a solid understanding of mission-critical environments.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Procurement & Sourcing

• Develop and implement procurement strategies for OFCI delivery within data centre and critical infrastructure projects.
• Lead sourcing and supplier evaluation for long-lead equipment and high-value technical categories.
• Balance CAPEX and OPEX considerations to optimise total cost of ownership and lifecycle value.

Contracting & Negotiations

• Drive complex commercial negotiations with OEMs, tier-1 suppliers, and contractors.
• Draft, manage, and optimise supply agreements, framework contracts, and OFCI-specific commercial arrangements.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers to ensure capacity, reliability, and performance.
• Work closely with engineering, project management, finance, and commercial teams to ensure procurement activities align with project milestones.

Execution & Delivery

• Lead tendering, bid analysis, contract award, and contract execution.
• Monitor supplier compliance, lead-times, performance, and associated risks, putting mitigation strategies in place when needed.
• Provide market and category insights to support strategic decision-making.

Governance & Reporting

• Maintain robust procurement documentation, reporting, cost tracking, and audit-ready records.
• Deliver regular updates on procurement status, risks, opportunities, and commercial outcomes.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• 5–10+ years’ procurement/supply chain experience within complex infrastructure environments (data centres, critical infrastructure, power, construction, etc.).
• Strong track record developing and executing OFCI or long-lead procurement strategies.
• Demonstrable negotiation experience securing commercial value on high-impact contracts.
• Capable of managing procurement activities across multiple European geographies.
• Excellent stakeholder and supplier relationship skills.
• Willingness to travel across Europe when required.

Desirable

• Understanding of data centre equipment categories (e.g., generators, UPS, switchgear, transformers, cooling systems, power distribution).
• Prior experience as an independent contractor or consultant.
• Professional procurement certification (e.g., CIPS).

Ideal Candidate Profile

• A proactive, solutions-focused procurement leader who thrives in fast-paced project environments.
• Able to operate autonomously with a blend of strategic thinking and hands-on delivery capability.
• Strong communicator comfortable working across cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders.