Hardware Sourcing Specialist

Dive in and do the best work of your career rney alongside a strong community of top talent who are relentless in their drive to build the simplest scalable cloud. If you have a growth mindset, naturally like to think big and bold, and are energized by the fast‑paced environment of a true industry disruptor, you’ll find your place here. We value winning together—while learning, having fun, and making a profound difference for the dreamers and builders in the world.

Digital Ocean is seeking an experienced individual to manage end‑to‑end sourcing operations for our global data center hardware. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Hardware and Software Procurement, the Staff Hardware Sourcing Specialist will manage supplier relationships, negotiate terms, optimize lead times and costs, and ensure timely deliveries across various hardware categories. The role will work closely with Engineering teams and external partners to support large‑scale hardware deployments and will be critical to scaling.

• Supplier Management:
  Source, vet, and manage long‑term relationships with global and domestic hardware suppliers.
• Negotiation & Contracting:
  Negotiate pricing, delivery schedules, and service level agreements (SLAs) in conjunction with the Legal Team.
• Bidding Processes:
  Develop and execute Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Request for Quotations (RFQs) to ensure competitive pricing.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner with internal stakeholders and operations to forecast hardware demands and review engineering plans or Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Risk Mitigation:
  Track component shortages, monitor market trends, and implement strategies to prevent supply chain disruptions.
• Develop and maintain key internal stakeholder relationships to create a collaborative environment focused on delivering services and material on time. Communicate, manage, and drive compliance to category strategies among internal stakeholders.
• Conduct comprehensive supplier analysis to formulate a strategic sourcing plan that identifies new/suitable suppliers, optimizes cost models and proactively ensures continuity of supply based on upcoming new product introduction campaign requirements.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience:
  
  Minimum 5+ years in strategic sourcing, procurement, and vendor management, heavily focused on Data Center hardware or technology categories.
• Demonstrated negotiation, problem solving, and leadership skills.
• Proficiency with procurement systems (e.g., Oracle, Procure‑to‑Pay, ERP), Excel, and data‑driven supplier performance tracking.
• High‑level commercial acumen, exceptional written/verbal communication, and sharp analytical problem‑solving abilities.
• Strong understanding of procurement processes and strategy.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities.

• $131,200 - $164,000
• This is a hybrid role

JR:

• We innovate with purpose. You’ll be a part of a cutting‑edge technology company with an upward trajectory, proud to simplify cloud and AI so builders can spend more time creating software that changes the world. As a member of the team, you will be a shark who thinks big, bold, and scrappy, like an owner with a bias for action and a powerful sense of responsibility for customers, products, employees, and decisions.
• We prioritize career development. At DO, you’ll do the best work of your career. You will work with some of the smartest and most interesting people in the industry. We are a high‑performance organization that will always challenge you to think big. Our organizational development team will provide you with resources to ensure you keep growing. We provide employees with reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education.
  
  All employees have access to Linked In Learning’s 10,000+ courses to support their continued growth and development.
• We care about your well‑being. Regardless of your location, we will provide you with a competitive array of benefits to support you from our Employee Assistance Program…