Critical Facilities Manager-Data Center

ABM•Whitney, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Critical Facilities Manager (CFM) leads the operation and performance of mission-critical facility services in a 24/7 data center environment. The role provides on-site leadership, ensures compliance with contractual and client requirements, and oversees safe, reliable mechanical, electrical, controls, and vendor-supported operations. The CFM is the primary on-site operational contact for the client and coordinates internal teams, technicians, vendors, OEMs, and subcontractors to maintain uptime, safety, procedural discipline, and operational excellence. The role supports site startup, commissioning readiness, integrated systems testing (IST), turnover, and transition to steady-state operations. It oversees critical infrastructure, personnel, maintenance, incident response, client service, safety, budgets, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Minimum 7–10 years of experience in mission-critical facilities, data center operations, critical environments, or closely related infrastructure operations.
Prior experience leading technical teams in a 24/7 critical facility environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of critical electrical infrastructure, including switchgear, UPS systems, generators, ATS/STS equipment, electrical distribution, and emergency power operations.
Demonstrated knowledge of critical mechanical infrastructure, including chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, pumps, cooling systems, airflow management, BAS/BMS controls, and redundancy strategies.
Experience with SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, change control, incident response, root cause analysis, and risk mitigation in a critical environment.
Ability to read and interpret technical documentation, one-lines, P&IDs, sequences of operation, equipment manuals, maintenance procedures, and commissioning documents.
Strong understanding of uptime expectations, SLA/CPI performance requirements, client reporting, and operational risk management.
Experience using CMMS platforms for work order management, preventive maintenance tracking, asset management, and documentation.
Strong leadership, communication, documentation, and client-facing skills.
Ability to access all areas of a mission-critical facility, including mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, equipment yards, rooftops, and operations spaces.
Ability to stand, walk, climb stairs, and navigate industrial environments for extended periods.
Ability to lift up to 30–50 lbs as required.
Ability to respond to site conditions, inspections, incidents, and operational needs in a 24/7 critical environment.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience supporting hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, or large-scale data center environments.
Bachelor's degree in engineering, Facilities Management, Construction Management, or a related field; equivalent mission-critical experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Certified Data Centre Facilities Professional (CDC-FP), Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP), or similar data center certification.
OSHA 10 or OSHA 30.
NFPA 70E electrical safety, switching, or critical power training.
OEM training related to UPS, generators, switchgear, BAS/BMS, chillers, or critical cooling systems.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day mission-critical facility operations, including electrical, mechanical, HVAC, controls, life safety, and vendor-supported services.
Serve as the primary on-site operational liaison with the client, managing communication, expectations, issue resolution, performance metrics, and service delivery.
Support site startup, commissioning readiness, integrated systems testing (IST), operational turnover, and go-live preparation.
Ensure work follows approved SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, safety procedures, change-control requirements, and client expectations.
Promote uptime, reliability, protection of critical loads, risk mitigation, and procedural compliance.
Oversee utility service, switchgear, UPS systems, generators, ATS/STS equipment, electrical distribution, chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, pumps, cooling systems, and BAS/BMS controls.
Monitor facility systems, KPIs/CPIs, SLAs, alarms, maintenance performance, and operational trends; drive compliance and continuous improvement.
Lead incident response, escalation, client communication, post-incident review, root cause analysis, and corrective action tracking.
Review, approve, and coordinate planned maintenance, switching activities, outage-related procedures, vendor work, and high-risk activities.
Oversee staffing, scheduling, onboarding, training, performance management, and technical development of on-site facility personnel.
Partner with recruiting and leadership teams to support the selection and onboarding of site leads and critical facilities technicians.
Manage CMMS use, including work order accuracy, preventive maintenance compliance, asset documentation, labor reporting, and maintenance history.
Coordinate third-party vendors, OEMs, and subcontractors performing on-site services.
Support budget management, cost control, invoice review, change order coordination, and contract-related administration.
Promote and enforce safety, environmental, regulatory, and site-specific requirements, including participation in audits and inspections.
Drive improvements in uptime, reliability, efficiency, safety, documentation quality, and client satisfaction.