Data Center - Project Manager

AFL•Abilene, TX

6h•Onsite

About The Position

AFL provides industry-leading fiber optic products and services across the globe. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber optic cable and now we manufacture over two thousand products, employ over 5,000 associates and consistently generate annual sales in excess of a billion-dollars in revenue. With our commitment to professional growth and employee development, let AFL “Connect” you to your next career opportunity! This job is NOT a remote position and will require the PM to be onsite for the duration of the project. After the initial phase a hybrid position can be discussed. Job Summary The Data Center Project Manager leads the end-to-end lifecycle of fixed bid data center infrastructure projects using structured PM frameworks. From inception through closeout, this role ensures on-time, on-scope, under-budget delivery by developing project charters, work breakdown structures (WBS), and integrated baselines for scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risks. Acting as the primary liaison between customers, internal engineering, and field crews, you will oversee the installation of critical facility technologies—including structured cabling and fiber infrastructure—while maintaining rigorous standards for safety, documentation, and continuous improvement via post-project lessons learned.

Requirements

Experience: Minimum of 5 years in a technical leadership or project management role within data centers or critical facilities, with proven use of PM tools/methods.
Education: Associate degree in a technical field preferred; equivalent field experience highly valued; PMP or CAPM certification strongly preferred.
Technical Mastery: Deep knowledge of low-voltage infrastructure, fiber networks (ISP/OSP), grounding/bonding, and pathway systems.
Industry Standards: Familiarity with TIA/EIA, BICSI, and NEC codes.
Compliance: Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and capable of meeting physical demands of a construction environment.
Core Competencies Leadership: Ability to mentor crews, apply servant leadership, and manage via situational models (e.g., Tuckman stages).
Analytical Rigor: Proficiency in interpreting blueprints, specs and financial data.
Adaptability: Skilled at shifting priorities in high-uptime environments.
PM Tools: Expertise in MS Project or similar for scheduling, risk software, and BI dashboards.

Nice To Haves

Certifications: PMP, BICSI (RCDD/Technician), or manufacturer-specific certifications highly preferred.
Preferred Degree or Type B.A. or equivalent experience
PMP Certification

Responsibilities

Project Initiation & Planning Develop and gain stakeholder approval for project charters, defining scope, objectives, deliverables, success criteria, and high-level risks/milestones.â
Create detailed project management plans, including Gantt charts, critical path method (CPM) schedules, resource planning and cost-loaded baselines using tools like MS Project or Primavera.â
Conduct kickoff meetings, perform initial risk assessments with probability-impact matrices, and establish communication protocols aligned with RACI matrices.â
Project Execution & Technical Leadership Field Management: Direct multiple installation crews (up to 50+ technicians) across large-scale data center environments, track schedule performance and cost performance.
Infrastructure Oversight: Manage the installation, termination, and testing of structured cabling and fiber systems, ensuring traceability via as-built documentation.
Technical Validation: Utilize and interpret output from OTDRs, power meters, and certifiers to validate test results, perform root cause analysis on variances, and secure final project acceptance.
Problem Solving: Assist with onsite troubleshooting for connectivity or infrastructure issues, implementing corrective/preventive actions and updating change control logs.
Project Control Logistics: Manage material inventory, equipment tracking, and vendor logistics via procurement plans to prevent delays, including vendor scorecards and contract administration.
Reporting: Deliver daily/weekly performance metrics, daily status updates, and comprehensive close-out packages.
Site Audits: Assist with site surveys, quality inspections, and progress audits to ensure compliance with BICSI, TIA, and NEC standards, using control charts for quality metrics.
Monitoring, Control & Closeout Track project health via dashboards, forecast via EVM trends, and manage changes through formal integrated change control processes.â
Maintain a project risk register, conduct regular risk reviews, and escalate issues per governance thresholds.
Facilitate project closure with lessons learned sessions, stakeholder sign-offs, resource releases, and financial settlements.
Stakeholder Engagement & Safety Client Relations: Serve as the primary point of contact, managing expectations through steering committee updates and issue/escalation logs.
Safety Culture: Champion EHS with the operations team by integrating safety into the PM plan, tracking daily briefings, near-miss reports, and leading safety audits for zero-incident targets.